1 Faithful is the saying, If a man seeks the office of overseer, he desires a good work.

2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;

4 one who rules well his own house, having [his] children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (but if a man doesn't know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

6 not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Servants in like manner [must be] grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of monetary gain;

9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

10 And let these also first be proved; then let them serve, if they are blameless.

11 Women in like manner [must be] grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and their own houses well.

13 For they having served well gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

15 but if I tarry long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves 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; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.