¹This is a faithful saying : someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work .[#3:1 or, superintendent, or bishop]

²The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife , temperate , sensible , modest , hospitable , good at teaching;

³not a drinker, not violent , not greedy for money, but gentle , not quarrelsome, not covetous;

⁴one who rules his own house well , having children in subjection with all reverence;

⁵(for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God ’s assembly ?)

⁶not a new convert , lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil .

⁷Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside , to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil .

⁸Servants , in the same way , must be reverent, not double-tongued , not addicted to much wine , not greedy for money,[#3:8 or, Deacons.]

⁹holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience .

¹⁰Let them also first be tested ; then let them serve if they are blameless.[#3:10 or, serve as deacons]

¹¹Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers , temperate , and faithful in all things .

¹²Let servants be husbands of one wife , ruling their children and their own houses well .[#3:12 or, deacons]

¹³For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus .[#3:13 or, served well as deacons]

¹⁴These things I write to you , hoping to come to you shortly ,

¹⁵but if I wait long , that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God ’s house , which is the assembly of the living God , the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁶Without controversy , the mystery of godliness is great :

God was revealed in the flesh ,

justified in the spirit ,

seen by angels,

preached amongst the nations ,

believed on in the world ,

and received up in glory .