Qualifications of Overseers
THIS is a true saying: If a man desire the office of an overseer, he desires a good work.
2 An overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, sensible, respectable, given to hospitality, able to teach;
3 Not addicted to wine, not violent, not given to dishonest gain; but gentle, peaceful, free from the love of money;
4 One that rules his own house well, having his children in subjection with all propriety;
5 For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the congregation of God?
6 Not a new convert, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good witness from those which are outside; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Qualifications of Deacons
8 ¶ Likewise the deacons must be worthy of respect, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not given to dishonest gain;
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be tested; then let them serve being found blameless.
11 ¶ Likewise their wives must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For those that use the office of a deacon well, purchase for themselves a good rank, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The Mystery of God
14 ¶ These things write I to you, hoping to come to you shortly:
15 But if delayed: that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the congregation of the living God, the pillar and basis of the truth.
16 And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by messengers, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.