1 Timothy 3

₁What I want to tell you now is true. If someone wants to be an elder in the congregation, he wants to do good work. ₂That is why an elder must live without sin and he must have only one wife. He must be wise and know how to live in the right way, people must have respect for him, he must be good to strangers and he must be a good teacher. ₃An elder must not drink too much wine and he must not become angry quickly. No, he must be good and patient and he must not like to fight or love to have lots of money.

₄An elder must be a good father to his family, and his children must respect him and always listen to him. ₅If an elder does not know how to be a good father to his own family, then he can not look after the people of God, the church. ₆He must not be someone who has become a believer only a short while ago. If he has not been a believer for a long time, then he might become proud and God will punish him as God has punished the devil. ₇An elder must live in the right way, and people who do not believe in God must also respect the elder. Then they will not say bad things about him and the devil will not be able to trap him.

₈The deacons must be people who live in the right way, like the elders. They must not be hypocrites, they must not drink too much wine and they must not always want to have more money and more things. ₉They must really believe the things that God has shown us about Christ and they must always do what they know is right. ₁₀People who want to become deacons must first show the other believers that they can do their work well and that they are good people. If they have done nothing wrong, they can be deacons.

₁₁Women who want to work in the congregation must also live in the right way. They must not say bad things about other people. Everyone must know that they are honest and that they will always do what they have promised. ₁₂A deacon must have only one wife, he must be a good father to his children and they must always listen to him in their home. ₁₃The people in the congregation respect a deacon who does his work well, and that deacon will not be afraid to tell other people what he believes about Jesus Christ.

_14-15Timothy, I hope to come to you soon. But I write these things to you so that, if I can not come immediately, you will know how to live in the church, the house of the living God. The church is like a pillar or a foundation and it teaches people what the truth is. ₁₆We can be sure and never doubt the wonderful message that God gave us: