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[1]THIS is a true saying, If a man desires the office of a bishop, he aspires to a good work.
[2]He who becomes an bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, have an alert mind, must be sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, and apt at teaching;
[3]Not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but meek, not a brawler;
[4]One who rules well his own household, and keeps his children under submission to bring them up with all purity.
[5]For if a man does not know how to rule well his own household, how shall he take care of the church of God?
[6]He should not be a recent convert, lest he become proud and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
[7]Moreover, he must have a good report from outsiders; lest he fall into reproach and the snares of the devil.
[8]Likewise the deacons must be pure, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
[9]But they must uphold the divine mystery of faith with a pure conscience.
[10]Let these first be examined, and then let them minister after they have been found blameless.
[11]Likewise their wives must be chaste, have an alert mind, faithful in all things, and they must not be slanderers.
[12]Let the deacons be appointed from those who have not been polygamous, ruling their children and their own households well.
[13]For those who minister well earn good recognition for themselves and grow more familiar with the faith of Jesus Christ.
[14]These things I write to you, although hoping to come to you shortly,
[15]So that if I am delayed, you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
[16]Truly great is this divine mystery of righteousness: it is revealed in the flesh, justi- fied in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory.
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