1 It is a popular saying that "whoever aspires to office is set upon an excellent occupation."
2 Well, for the office of a bishop a man must be above reproach; he must be only married once, he must be temperate, master of himself, unruffled, hospitable, a skilled teacher,
3 not a drunkard or violent, but lenient and conciliatory, not a lover of money,
4 able to manage his own household properly and keep his children submissive and perfectly respectful
5 (if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how is he to look after the church of God?);
6 he must not be a new convert, in case he gets conceited and incurs the doom passed on the devil;
7 also, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, in case he incurs slander and is trapped by the devil.
8 Deacons in turn are to be serious men; they are not to be tale-bearers or addicted to drink or pilfering;
9 they must maintain the divine truth of the faith with a pure conscience.
10 They too must be put on probation; after that, if they are above reproach, they can serve as deacons.
11 Their wives must be serious too; they must not be slanderers but temperate and absolutely trustworthy.
12 Deacons are only to be married once, and they must manage their children and households properly.
13 For those who do good service as deacons win a good position for themselves as well as great freedom in the faith of Christ Jesus.
14 Though I hope to come to you before long, I am writing to you in this way,
15 in case I am detained, to let you see how people ought to behave within the household of God; it is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the Truth.
16 And who does not admit how profound is the divine truth of our religion? ??it is He who was "manifest in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by the angels, preached among the nations, believed on throughout the world, taken up to glory."