First Epistle to Timothy, Chapter 3
1 Timothy 3 ASV - American Standard Version Chapter 3 of 1 Timothy—American Standard Version (ASV)
- ¶ [a]Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
- The [b]bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
- [c]no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;
- one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
- (but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
- not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the [d]condemnation of the devil.
- Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
- Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
- holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
- And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless.
- Women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
- Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
- For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
- ¶ These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly;
- but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know [e]how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and [f]ground of the truth.
- And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness;
¶ [g]He who was manifested in the flesh,
¶ Justified in the spirit,
¶ Seen of angels,
¶ Preached among the [h]nations,
¶ Believed on in the world,
¶ Received up in glory.
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Some connect the words Faithful is the saying with the preceding paragraph.
- ^ Or, overseer
- ^ Or, not quarrelsome over wine
- ^ Greek judgment.
- ^ Or, how thou oughtest to behave thyself
- ^ Or, stay
- ^ The word God, in place of He who, rests on no sufficient ancient evidence. Some ancient authorities read which.
- ^ Or, Gentiles
Read 1 Timothy Chapter 3 in other Bible versions: