1 This is a saying to be trusted: "Whoever aspires to the office of pastor desires an excellent work."
2 So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching;
3 not addicted to strong drink, not pugnacious, gentle and not contentious, not avaricious,
4 managing his own house well, with perfect seriousness keeping his children under control
5 (if a man does not know how to manage his own house, how can he take care of a church of God?).
6 He must not be a new convert, or else becoming conceited he may incur the doom the devil met.
7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, or else he may incur reproach and fall into the devil's trap.
8 Deacons, too, must be serious, sincere in their talk, not addicted to strong drink or dishonest gain,
9 but they must continue to hold the open secret of faith with a clear conscience.
10 They, too, should first be tested till approved, and then, if they are found above reproach, they should serve as deacons.
11 The deaconesses too must be serious, not gossips; they must be temperate and perfectly trustworthy.
12 A deacon too must have only one wife, and manage his children and household well.
13 For those who render good service win a good standing for themselves in their faith in Christ Jesus.
14 Though I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you this,
15 so that, if I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 Undoubtedly the mystery of our religion is a great wonder: "He was made visible in human form; He was vindicated by the Spirit; He was seen by angels; He was proclaimed among the heathen; He was trusted in throughout the world; He was taken up to glory."
