¹

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.

²

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

³

not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

⁴

one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence

⁵

(for if a man does not 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 with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

⁷

Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸

Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,

⁹

holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

¹⁰

But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.

¹¹

Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

¹²

Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

¹³

For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.