1 Timothy3

1 Timothy 3 outlines the essential qualifications for church leaders, specifically bishops and deacons. Bishops must be blameless, morally upright, capable teachers, and effective rulers of their own households. Deacons likewise require gravity, integrity, and sound management of their families. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the church's role as the pillar of truth and the profound mystery of godliness.

Qualifications for Overseers (Bishops)

1
This is a true saying, If any man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a worthie worke.
2
A Bishop therefore must be vnreproueable, the husband of one wife, watching, temperate, modest, harberous, apt to teache,
3
Not giuen to wine, no striker, not giuen to filthy lucre, but gentle, no fighter, not couetous,
4
One that can rule his owne house honestly, hauing children vnder obedience with all honestie.
5
For if any cannot rule his owne house, how shall he care for the Church of God?
6
He may not be a yong scholer, lest he being puffed vp fall into the condemnation of the deuill.
7
He must also be well reported of, euen of them which are without, lest he fall into rebuke, and the snare of the deuill.

Qualifications for Deacons

8
Likewise must Deacons be graue, not double tongued, not giuen vnto much wine, neither to filthy lucre,
9
Hauing the mysterie of the faith in pure conscience.
10
And let them first be proued: then let them minister, if they be found blameles.
11
Likewise their wiues must be honest, not euill speakers, but sober, and faithfull in all things.
12
Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their owne housholdes.
13
For they that haue ministred well, get them selues a good degree, and great libertie in the faith, which is in Christ Iesus.
14
These things write I vnto thee, trusting to come very shortly vnto thee.

The Church and the Mystery of Godliness

15
But if I tary long, that thou maist yet know, how thou oughtest to behaue thy self in ye house of God, which is the Church of the liuing God, the pillar and ground of trueth.
16
And without controuersie, great is the mysterie of godlinesse, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, iustified in the Spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the world, and receiued vp in glorie.
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