1 THIS is a true saying, If a man desires the office of a bishop, he aspires to a good work.

2 He who becomes an bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, have an alert mind, must be sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, and apt at teaching;

3 Not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but meek, not a brawler;

4 One who rules well his own household, and keeps his children under submission to bring them up with all purity.

5 For if a man does not know how to rule well his own household, how shall he take care of the church of God?

6 He should not be a recent convert, lest he become proud and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover, he must have a good report from outsiders; lest he fall into reproach and the snares of the devil.

8 Likewise the deacons must be pure, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

9 But they must uphold the divine mystery of faith with a pure conscience.

10 Let these first be examined, and then let them minister after they have been found blameless.

11 Likewise their wives must be chaste, have an alert mind, faithful in all things, and they must not be slanderers.

12 Let the deacons be appointed from those who have not been polygamous, ruling their children and their own households well.

13 For those who minister well earn good recognition for themselves and grow more familiar with the faith of Jesus Christ.

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

15 So that if I am delayed, you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

16 Truly great is this divine mystery of righteousness: it is revealed in the flesh, justi- fied in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory.