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1 Timothy

Guidance for Timothy, a young leader, on church management and living a godly life.

Chapter 3

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1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

*This is a real statement: If a person wants to be a church leader, they want to do a good job.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

*A bishop should be faultless, married to only one woman, alert, sensible, well-behaved, welcoming to guests, and skilled in teaching.

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

*Not addicted to alcohol, doesn't fight, not eager for dirty money; calm, peaceful, not selfish.

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

*A good leader at home, with kids respecting rules seriously.

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

*If a person can't manage their own home, how can they look after God's church?

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

*Don't be new at this, so you don't get proud and fail like the devil did.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

*He should be well thought of by outsiders, or he might disgrace himself and get trapped by the devil.

8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

*Similarly, deacons should be serious, not two-faced, not fond of drinking too much, and not eager for money from dishonest sources.

9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

*Keeping the secret of our beliefs, with a clean mind.

10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

*First, make sure they are trustworthy. Then, let them serve as deacons without any faults.

11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

*Just like them, wives should also be serious, not gossips, calm, and trustworthy in everything.

12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

*Let deacons have only one wife, and they should properly manage their kids and homes.

13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

*For those who serve as deacons well earn a good standing and confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

*I write these words, hoping to visit you soon.

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

*But if I take too much time, so you can learn how you should act in God's home, which is the church of the living God, the support and foundation of truth.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

*The mystery of being good and close to God is big and not hard to understand: God showed himself as a person, proved to be good by the Spirit, seen by angels, shared with non-Jews, believed in by people everywhere, and taken back to glory.

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* work in progress, there will be mistakes

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