Now we know that the Law is good, if a man uses it in the way it should be used,

for this cause was mercy given unto me, that Jesus Christ should first show on me all long patience, unto the example of them which shall, in time to come, believe on him unto eternal life.

Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander; whom I have delivered to Satan, that they should not be taught to blaspheme.

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings should be offered for all men,

who is willing that all men should be saved, and therefore come to the knowledge of the truth.

which gave himself a ransom for all men, that it should be testified at his time;

I wish also that men should pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputations;

Women, for their part, should display their beauty by dressing modestly and decently in appropriate clothes, not with elaborate hairstyles or by wearing gold, pearls, or expensive clothes,

A woman should learn in silence with full submission.

But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man [in the assembly], but she should remain quiet.

It is necessary therefore that a bishop should be blameless, a husband of one wife, circumspect, sober, well-behaved, hospitable, apt to teach,

he should be a man who rules his own household well, and keeps his children ever under control and thoroughly well behaved.

nor must he be a new convert; for fear he should be elated with pride, and so involve himself in the same ruin as the devil.

But it is necessary that he should have also a good testimony from those without, that he may fall not into reproach and the snare of the devil.

The deacons should likewise be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of base gain,

They should keep holding on to the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.

They, too, should first be tested till approved, and then, if they are found above reproach, they should serve as deacons.

It should be the same with the women. They should be serious, not gossips, sober, and trustworthy in all respects.

Assistant-Officers should be faithful husbands, and men who rule their children and their households well.

But if I should be retarded, that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to behave in the house of God, the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

For everything God created is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

But you should have nothing to do with those worldly myths [See 1:4] and superstitious tales [often] told by old women. Instead, train yourself for living a godly life.

Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to fulfill their duty toward their own household and so repay their parents what is owed them. For this is what pleases God.

Those are the points on which you should dwell, that there may be no call for your censure.

No widow under sixty years of age should be put on this roll. A widow must have had but one husband,

and be well spoken of for her kind actions. She should have brought up children, have shown hospitality to strangers, have washed the feet of her fellow Christians, have relieved those who were in distress, and devoted herself to every kind of good action.

But you should exclude the younger widows from the list; for, when they grow restive under the yoke of the Christ, they want to marry,

At the same time, they also learn how to be lazy while going from house to house. Not only this, but they even become gossips and keep busy by interfering in other people's lives, saying things they should not say.

If a Christian woman has widowed relatives, she should help them, and let the church be free from the burden, so that it can help the widows who are really dependent.

Elders who do their duties well should be considered as deserving twice the salary they get especially those who keep on toiling in preaching and teaching.

For the Scripture says [Deut. 25:4], "You should not put a muzzle on the ox while it tramples over the grain." And [Luke 10:7], "The worker deserves his wages."

You should rebuke in front of everyone [in the church] those elders who continue to sin, so that the rest [of the congregation] will be afraid [of sinning].

In like manner also the good works [of some] are previously manifest; and it is not possible that what they have besides should be concealed.

All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their own masters as deserving of the highest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be discredited.

Moreover, those who have believing masters should be respectful to them, because they are fellow believers. In fact, they must serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dear to them. These are the things you must teach and exhort.

But if we have [enough] food and clothing, we will [i.e., should] be content with that.