1 Timothy 3
3
Leaders in the Church
1What I say is true: If anyone wants to become an overseer, he is wanting a good work. 2An overseer must be so good that people cannot rightly criticize him. He must have only one wife. He must have self-control and be wise. He must be respected by other people and must be ready to help people by accepting them into his home. He must be a good teacher. 3He must not drink too much wine, and he must not be a man who likes to fight. He must be gentle and peaceful. He must not love money. 4He must be a good leader of his own family so that his children obey him with full respect. 5(If a man does not know how to be a leader over his own family, he will not be able to take care of God’s church.) 6But an elder must not be a new believer. A new believer might be too proud of himself. Then he would be judged guilty for his pride just as the devil was. 7An elder must also have the respect of people who are not in the church. Then he will not be criticized by others and caught in the devil’s trap.
Helpers in the Church
8In the same way, deacons must be men that people can respect. They must not say things they do not mean. They must not use their time drinking too much wine, and they must not be men who are always trying to get rich by cheating others. 9They must follow the faith that God made known to us and always do what they know is right. 10You should test those men first. If you find nothing wrong in them, then they can serve as deacons. 11In the same way, the women# This might mean the wives of the deacons, or it might mean women who serve in the same way as deacons. must have the respect of other people. They must not be women who repeat evil gossip about other people. They must have self-control and be women who can be trusted in everything. 12Deacons must have only one wife. They must be good leaders of their children and their own families. 13Those who serve well as deacons are making an honorable place for themselves. And they will feel very sure of their faith in Christ Jesus.
The Secret of Our Life
14I hope I can come to you soon. But I am writing these things to you now. 15Then, even if I cannot come soon, you will know about the things that people must do in the family of God. That family is the church of the living God, the support and foundation of the truth. 16Without doubt, the secret of our life of worship is great:
He# Some Greek copies read “God.” was shown to us in a human body,
proved right by the Spirit,
and seen by angels.
He was preached to the nations,
believed in by the world,
and taken to heaven in glory.
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1 Timothy 3: ICB
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
1 Timothy 3
3
1 This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer#3:1 or, superintendent, or bishop desires a good work. 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.
8 Servants,#3:8 or, Deacons. in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money, 9holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10Let them also first be tested; then let them serve#3:10 or, serve as deacons if they are blameless. 11Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things. 12Let servants#3:12 or, deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13For those who have served well#3:13 or, served well as deacons gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These 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 # 3:16 NU replaces “God” with “who” 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.
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