Qualifications for Overseers 1This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife,a temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not dependent on wine, not violent, not greedy for money,b but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money. 4An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity. 5For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God? 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil. 7Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil. Qualifications for Deacons 8Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money. 9They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10Additionally, they must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons. 11In the same way, the womenc must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things. 12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household. 13For those who have served well as deacons acquire for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. The Mystery of Godliness 14Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these things 15in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: God appearedd in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit,e was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory. Footnotes: 2 a Or faithful to his wife; also in verse 12 3 b CT does not include not greedy for money. 11 c Or their wives 16 d CT He appeared 16 e Or vindicated in spirit The Holy Bible, Majority Standard Bible, MSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain. The MSB is the Byzantine Majority Text version of the BSB, including the BSB OT plus the NT translated according to the Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Majority Text (byzantinetext.com). The MSB includes footnotes for translatable variants from the modern Critical Texts (CT) such as the Nestle Aland GNT, SBL GNT, and Editio Critica Maior. Major variants between the Majority Text (MT) and Textus Receptus (TR) are also noted. This text is a final version draft and is open to public comment and translation recommendations. please send all corrections and recommendations to the Berean Bible Translation Committee through the contact page at Berean.Bible. Bible Hub |
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