| Chapter
3 |
| 1 | This is
a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good
work. |
| 2 | A bishop then
must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour,
given to hospitality, apt to teach; |
|
3 | Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but
patient, not a brawler, not covetous; |
|
4 | One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in
subjection with all gravity; |
| 5
| (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take
care of the church of God?) |
| 6 |
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation
of the devil. |
| 7 | Moreover
he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into
reproach and the snare of the devil. |
|
8 | Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given
to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; |
| 9 | Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure
conscience. |
| 10 | And let
these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being
found blameless. |
| 11 | Even
so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all
things. |
| 12 | Let the
deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses
well. |
| 13 | For they that
have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and
great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. |
| 14 | These things write I unto thee, hoping
to come unto thee shortly: |
| 15
| But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave
thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar
and ground of the truth. |
| 16 |
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest
in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the
Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. |
