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Overseers and Deacons

^1 (C1)It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the ^(C2)office of ^(F1)overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.^2 (F1)(C1)An overseer, then, must be above reproach, ^(C2)the husband of one wife, ^(F2)(C3)temperate, self-controlled, respectable, ^(C4)hospitable, ^(C5)skillful in teaching,^3 (C1)not overindulging in wine, not ^(F1)a bully, but gentle, not contentious, ^(C2)free from the love of money.⁴ He must be one who ^(C1)manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity⁵ (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of ^(C1)the church of God?),⁶ and not a new convert, so that he will not become ^(C1)conceited and fall into ^(C2)condemnation ^(F1)incurred by the devil.⁷ And he must ^(C1)have a good reputation with ^(C2)those outside the church, so that he will not fall into ^(F1)disgrace and ^(C3)the snare of the devil.

^8 (C1)Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not ^(F1)insincere, ^(C2)not prone to drink much wine, ^(C3)not greedy for money,^9 (C1)but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.^10 (C1)These men must also first be tested; then have them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.^11 (F1)Women must likewise be dignified, ^(C1)not malicious gossips, but ^(F2)(C2)temperate, faithful in all things.^12 (C1)Deacons must be ^(C2)husbands of one wife, and ^(F1)(C3)good managers of their children and their own households.¹³ For those who have served well as deacons ^(C1)obtain for themselves a ^(F1)high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;¹⁵ but ^(F1)in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one should act in ^(C1)the household of God, which is the ^(C2)church of ^(C3)the living God, the ^(C4)pillar and support of the truth.¹⁶ Beyond question, great is ^(C1)the mystery of godliness:

He who was ^(C2)revealed in the flesh,
Was ^(F1)(C3)vindicated ^(F2)in the Spirit,
^(C4)Seen by angels,
^(C5)Proclaimed among the nations,
^(C6)Believed on in the world,
^(C7)Taken up in glory.