¹The saying is faithful: “If anyone aspires to the position of an overseer, he desires a good work.” ²An overseer, then, must be unimpeachable, the husband of one wife, sober, temperate, well-behaved, hospitable, with aptitude for teaching, ³not over-fond of wine, not violent, not shamefully greedy of gain, but equitable, peaceable, not a lover of money, ⁴taking charge of his own household well, keeping his children in subjection most solemnly. ⁵But if a person does not know how to take charge of his own household, how can he take care of the church of God? ⁶Not a newcomer, in case his imagination runs away with him and he falls into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷And he must also have a good reputation with those outside, so that he does not fall into disrepute or a snare of the devil. ⁸Likewise, ministers must be solemn, not equivocal, not heavy drinkers of wine, not shamefully greedy of gain, ⁹keeping the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰And let these be put to the test first, then let them minister, when they are found to be irreproachable. ¹¹Similarly, their wives must be solemn, not slanderous, sober, faithful in everything. ¹²Ministers must be the husbands of one wife, properly in charge of their children and their own households. ¹³For those who minister well acquire good standing for themselves, and much assurance in faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴I write these things to you hoping to come to you very soon. ¹⁵But if I take a long time, I have written in order that you may know how you should behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God. A pillar and base of the truth, ¹⁶and confessedly great, is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world and taken up in glory.