1 Timothy 3

Common English Bible

Supervisors in God’s household

3 This saying is reliable: if anyone has a goal to be a supervisor^[a] in the church, they want a good thing. ² So the church’s supervisor must be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, sober, modest, and honest. They should show hospitality and be skilled at teaching. ³ They shouldn’t be addicted to alcohol or be a bully. Instead, they should be gentle, peaceable, and not greedy. ⁴ They should manage their own household well—they should see that their children are obedient with complete respect, ⁵ because if they don’t know how to manage their own household, how can they take care of God’s church? ⁶ They shouldn’t be new believers so that they won’t become proud and fall under the devil’s spell. ⁷ They should also have a good reputation with those outside the church so that they won’t be embarrassed and fall into the devil’s trap.

Servants in God’s household

⁸ In the same way, servants^[b] in the church should be dignified, not two-faced, heavy drinkers, or greedy for money. ⁹ They should hold on to the faith that has been revealed with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ They should also be tested and then serve if they are without fault. ¹¹ In the same way, women who are servants^[c] in the church should be dignified and not gossip. They should be sober and faithful in everything they do. ¹² Servants^[d] must be faithful to their spouse and manage their children and their own households well. ¹³ Those who have served well gain a good standing and considerable confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Leading God’s household

¹⁴ I hope to come to you quickly. But I’m writing these things to you so that ¹⁵ if I’m delayed, you’ll know how you should behave in God’s household. It is the church of the living God and the backbone and support of the truth. ¹⁶ Without question, the mystery of godliness is great: he was revealed as a human, declared righteous by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached throughout the nations, believed in around the world, and taken up in glory.