IT is a true saying, If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he desireth a laudable employment. 2A bishop then must be irreprehensible, the husband of one wife, temperate, sagacious, respectable, hospitable, well qualified for teaching; 3not addicted to wine, not using hard words or blows, not greedy of base gain; but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money; 4presiding over his own family with propriety, having his children under subjection with all gravity of behaviour: 5for if a man knoweth not how to order his own family, how shall he take proper care of the church of God? 6Not a new convert, lest he be puffed up, and fall into the devil’s crime. 7He must also have a fair character from those who are without, that he may not fall into reproach, and into the snare of the devil.
8The deacons also in like manner must be grave, not doubletongued, not addicting themselves to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10And let these also be first proved, and if found blameless, then let them enter on the deacon’s office.
11Their wives in like manner must be grave women, not addicted to scandal, sober, faithful in all things.
12Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ordering well their children and their own families. 13For they who discharge the office of a deacon with propriety, acquire to themselves a respectable station in the church, and great boldness in the faith which is in Jesus Christ.
14These things I write to thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15but should I be delayed, that thou mayest know how it behoveth thee to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the pedestal of truth. 16And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen of angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
[CHAP. IV.]
NOW the Spirit speaketh expresly, that in the latter days some will apostatise from the faith, giving heed to spirits of delusion, and doctrines of devils; 2men who teach lies with hypocrisy; and have their own consciences cauterised; 3prohibiting marriage, and enjoining abstinence from particular meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, and those who acknowledge the truth. 4For every creature of God is good, and none to be rejected, if used with thanksgiving: 5for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6If thou suggest these truths to the brethren, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and sound doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7But profane and antiquated fables reject, but exercise thyself unto godliness. 8For bodily exercise is of little advantage, but godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. 9This is a faithful saying, and deserving all acceptance. 10For therefore do we labour and are exposed to abuse, because we have hoped in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of the faithful. 11Announce and teach these things. 12Let no man despise thy youth; but be a pattern of the faithful, in discourse; in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13Till I come, apply to reading, to exhortation, to teaching. 14Neglect not the gift which is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with imposition of the hands of the presbytery. 15Let these things be thy care; be wholly devoted to them; that thy progress may be evident to all men. 16Take heed unto thyself, and to thy doctrine; abide in them: for so doing thou shalt both save thyself, and those who hear thee.
[CHAP. V.]
REBUKE not harshly an aged man, but admonish him as a father; the younger men as brethren; 2the aged women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. 3Honour the widows, that are widows indeed. 4But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn as their first duty to shew their piety towards their own family, and make a grateful return to their progenitors: for this is becoming and acceptable before God. 5But she who is a widow indeed, and abandoned to solitude, hopeth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. 6But she who lives voluptuously is dead, though she liveth. 7And these things inculcate, that they may be blameless. 8But if any man provide not for his own relations, and especially for those more immediately of his own family, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
9Let no widow be put on the list under sixty years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband, 10bringing attestation of her good works; that she hath well educated her children, that she hath been hospitable to strangers, that she hath washed the saints feet, that she hath assisted the afflicted, that she hath followed diligently every good work. 11But the younger widows reject: for when they give themselves to wantonness contrary to Christ, they will marry; 12incurring censure, for having violated their former engagement. 13And at the same time also they learn to be idle, visiting about in the houses; and not merely idle, but talkative and inquisitive, speaking things they ought not. 14I would therefore have the younger widows to marry, bear children, govern their house, give no occasion to the adversary to bring a reproach on them. 15For some are already turned aside after Satan. 16But if any man or woman who believes hath widows their relations, let him provide for them, and let not the church be burdened; that there may be a sufficiency for the real widows.