THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO
TIMOTHY
CHAPTER 3
Qualifications set forth for bishops and deacons—Great is the mystery of godliness.
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This is a true asaying, If a man desire the office of a bbishop, he desireth a good work.
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Not given to awine, no bstriker, not greedy of cfilthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
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(For if a man know not how to arule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
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Moreover he must have a good areport of them which are bwithout; lest he fall into reproach and the csnare of the devil.
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Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure aconscience.
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And let these also first be aproved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
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Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
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For they that have used the office of a deacon well apurchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
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These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
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aBut if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the bchurch of the living God, the pillar and cground of the dtruth.
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And without controversy great is the amystery of godliness: bGod was cmanifest in the dflesh, ejustified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, freceived up into glory.
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