This is a
true saying, If a man desire the office of a
bishop, he desireth a good work.
02 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband
of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour,
given to hospitality, apt to teach;
03 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of
filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not
covetous;
04 One that ruleth well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity;
05 (For if a man know not how to rule his own
house, how shall he take care of the church of
God?)
06 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride
he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
07 Moreover he must have a good report of them
which are without; lest he fall into reproach and
the snare of the devil.
08 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not
doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy
of filthy lucre;
09 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.
__________________________________ |
