1 Timothy 3
3
Qualifications for Overseers
1 This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to the position of overseer, he is aspiring to something that is noble and excellent.
2 An overseer, therefore, must be beyond reproach, faithful to his one wife, temperate, prudent, orderly, given to hospitality, skilled in teaching,
3 not addicted to wine, not prone to violence but gentle, not contentious, not greedy for money.
4 He must manage his own household competently, keeping his children under control with complete respectability.
5 (For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?)
6 He must not be someone who has only recently come to faith, so that he will not become puffed up with pride and fall under the same condemnation that befell the devil.
7 Moreover, he must possess a good reputation among those outside the church, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s snare.
Qualifications for Deacons
8 Deacons, in the same manner, must be worthy of respect, not speaking with duplicity, not given to excessive wine consumption, not pursuing dishonest financial gain,
9 holding firmly to the profound truth of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 These men must also first be examined; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.
11 Women similarly must be worthy of respect, not given to malicious gossip, temperate, trustworthy in every matter.
12 Deacons must be faithful to their one wife, managing their children and their own households well.
13 For those who have served well as deacons gain an excellent standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
The Mystery of Godliness
14 I am writing these instructions to you, though I hope to come to you soon.
15 But if my arrival is delayed, I am writing so you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
16 And without dispute, great is the revealed mystery that produces godly living: He appeared in human form, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by heavenly beings, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed on by people throughout the world, and was received into glory.
Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
