1Timothy:3

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* Faithful is the saying , »If any one is eager to have the oversight of a Church , he desires a noble work .« * A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character , true to his one wife , temperate , sober-minded , well-behaved , hospitable to strangers , and with a gift for teaching ; * not a hard drinker nor given to blows ; not selfish or quarrelsome or covetous ; * but ruling his own household wisely and well , with children kept under control with true dignity . * (If a man does not know how to rule his own household , how shall he have the Church of God given into his care ?) * He ought not to be a new convert , for fear he should be blinded with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil . * It is needful also that he bear a good character with people outside the Church , lest he fall into reproach or a snare of the Devil . * Deacons , in the same way , must be men of serious demeanour , not double-tongued , nor addicted to much wine , nor greedy of base gain , * but holding the secret truths of the faith with a clear conscience . * And they must also be well-tried men , and when found to be of unblemished character then let them serve as deacons . * Deaconesses , in the same way , must be sober-minded women , not slanderers , but in every way temperate and trustworthy . * A deacon must be true to his one wife , and rule his children and his own household wisely and well . * For those who have filled the deacon 's office wisely and well , are already gaining for themselves an honourable standing , and are acquiring great freedom of speech in proclaiming the faith which rests on Christ Jesus . * All this I write to you , though I am hoping before long to come to see you . * But , for fear I may be hindered , I now write , so that you may have rules to guide you in dealing with God 's household . For this is what the Church of the ever-living God is , and it is the pillar and foundation-stone of the truth . * And , beyond controversy , great is the mystery of our religion – that Christ appeared in human form , and His claims justified by the Spirit , was seen by angels and proclaimed among Gentile nations , was believed on in the world , and received up again into glory .

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