I TIMOTHY CHAPTER III

[ 1 How bishops and deacons, and their wives, should be qualified; 14 and to 
what end St. Paul wrote to Timothy of these things. 16 The important
truths of the Christian revelation.]

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 behavior, 
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 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 
double-tongued, 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.