Qualifications of Overseers
1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a1 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 not1 given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not3 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 a1 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 asnare of the devil.
Qualifications of Deacons
8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, anot given to much wine, not greedy for money,
9 holding the1 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, not1 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 aobtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The Great Mystery
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and1 ground of the truth.
16 And without controversy great is the1 mystery of god1liness:
aGod was manifested in the flesh,
bJustified in the Spirit,
cSeen by angels,
dPreached among the Gentiles,
eBelieved on in the world,
fReceived up in glory.
aGod was manifested in the flesh,
bJustified in the Spirit,
cSeen by angels,
dPreached among the Gentiles,
eBelieved on in the world,
fReceived up in glory.
New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Commentaries:
| << 1 Timothy 2:15 | 1 Timothy 3:2 >> |
What Does 1 Timothy 3:1 Mean?
1 Timothy 3:1
It is not wrong to want to be an elder, or an overseer, or a pastor. If one's motives are right, it is not an improper ambition. Being a pastor of a church and helping the people are good works, if they are pursued in a godly way.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Countering Presumptuousness
Related Topics: Elder
| Elder, Function of
| Godly Motives
| Good Works
| Motives
| Motives for Serving God
| Motives, Godly
| Overseer
| Overseer, Function of
| Pastor
| Pastor's Responsibility
| Presumptuousness
| << 1 Timothy 2:15 | 1 Timothy 3:2 >> |
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Desiring the role of an elder, overseer, or pastor is not wrong when motives are proper; it is not an improper ambition. Serving as a pastor in a church and helping the people constitute good works, provided they are pursued in a godly manner.