1 Timothy 3: ALL, (Ampl.)

1.

The saying is true and irrefutable: If any man (eagerly] seeks the office of bishop (superintendent, overseer), he desires an excellent task (work).

2.

Now a bishop (superintendent, overseer) must give no grounds for accusation but must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, circumspect and temperate and self-controlled; [he must be] sensible and well behaved and dignified and lead an orderly (disciplined life; [he must be] hospitable - showing love for and being a friend to the believers, especially strangers or foreigners - [and] be a capable and qualified teacher,

3.

Not given to wine, not combative but gentle and considerate, not quarrelsome but forbearing and peaceable, and not a lover of money - insatiable for wealth and ready to obtain it by questionable means.

4.

He must rule his own household well, keeping his children under control, with true dignity, commanding their respect in every way and keeping them respectful.

5.

For if a man does not know how to rule his own household, how is he to take care of the church of God?

6.

He must not be a new convert, or he may[develop a beclouded and stupid state of mind] as the result of pride, [be blinded by] conceit, and fall into the condemnation that the devil [once] did.

7.

Furthermore he must have a good reputation and be well thought of by those outside [the church], lest he become involved in slander and incur reproach and fall into the devil's trap.
(I understand that billy Graham always had someone go into his hotel rooms, before he went in, just to be sure that the Devil had not set any publicly embarrassing traps for him.)

8.

In like manner the deacons [must be] worthy of respect, not shifty and double talkers but sincere in what they say, not given to much wine, not greedy for base gain - craving wealth and resorting to ignoble and dishonest methods of getting it.

9.

They must possess the mystic secret of the faith [Christian truth as hidden from ungodly men,] with a clear conscience.

10.

And let them also be tried and investigated and proved first; then, [if they turn out to be] above reproach, let them serve [as deacon]

11.

[The] women likewise must be worthy of respect and serious, not gossipers, but temperate and self-controlled, [thoroughly] trustworthy in all things.

12.

Let the deacon be the husbands of but one wife, and let them manage [their] children and their own house-holds well;

13.

For those who perform well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and also gain much confidence and freedom and boldness in the faith which is [founded on and centers] in Christ Jesus.

14.

Although I hope to come to you before long, I am writing these instructions to you so that,

15.

If I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and stay - the prop and support - of the truth.

16.

And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth - the mystic secret - of godliness. He (God) was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the (Holy) Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world [and] taken up in glory.

Titus 1: 6-9, (Ampl.)

6.

[These elders should be] men who are of unquestionable integrity and are irreproachable, the husband of [but] one wife, whose children are well-trained and are] believers, not open to the accusation of being loose in morals and conduct or unruly and disorderly.

7.

For the bishop as an overseer and God's steward must be blameless; not self-willed or arrogant or presumptuous; he must not be quick-tempered or given to drink or pugnacious (brawling, violent); he must not be grasping and greedy for filthy lucre (financial gain);

8.

but he must be hospitable - loving and a friend to believers, especially to the strangers and foreigners. [He must be] a lover of goodness - of good people and good things; sober-minded (sensible, discreet); upright and fair-minded, a devout man and religiously right, temperate and keeping himself in hand.

9.

He must hold fast to the sure and trustworthy Word of God as he was taught it, so that he may be able both to give stimulating instruction and encouragement in sound (wholesome) doctrine, and to refute and convict those who contradict and oppose it - showing the wayward their orror

Deacon

Above reproach and blameless

1 Timothy 3: 2, 9; Titus 1: 6

1 Timothy 3: 2, 12; Titus 1: 6

Temperate

1 Timothy 3: 2, 8; Titus 1: 7

Respectable

1 Timothy 3: 2, 8

Not given to drunkenness

1 Timothy 3: 3, 8; Titus 1: 7

Manages of his own family well

1 Timothy 3: 4, 12

Sees that his children obey him

1 Timothy 3: 4-5, 12; Titus 1: 6

Does not pursue dishonest gain

1 Timothy 3: 8; Titus 1: 7

Loves the truth, never lies

1 Timothy 3: 9; Titus 1: 9

Sincere

1 Timothy 3: 8

Tested

1 Timothy 3: 10

Elder / Overseer / Bishop

Self Control

1 Timothy 3: 2, Titus 1: 8

Hospitable

1 Timothy 3: 2, Titus 1: 8

Able to teach

1 Timothy 3: 2, 5: 17; Titus 1: 9

Not violent but gentle

1 Timothy 3: 3, Titus 1: 7

Not quarrelsome

1 Timothy 3: 3

Not a lover of money

1 Timothy 3: 3

Not a recent convert

1 Timothy 3: 6

Has a good reputation with outsiders

1 Timothy 3: 7

Not overbearing

Titus 1: 7

Not quick-tempered

Titus 1: 7

Loves what is good

Titus 1: 8

Upright and holy

Titus 1: 8

Disciplined

Titus 1: 8

Above reproach and blameless

1 Timothy 3: 2, 9; Titus 1: 6

Husband of one wife

1 Timothy 3: 2, 12; Titus 1: 6

Temperate

1 Timothy 3: 2, 8; Titus 1: 7

Respectable

1 Timothy 3: 2, 8

Not given to drunkenness

1 Timothy 3: 3, 8; Titus 1: 7

Manages of his own family well

1 Timothy 3: 4, 12

Sees that his children obey him

1 Timothy 3: 4-5, 12; Titus 1: 6

Does not pursue dishonest gain

1 Timothy 3: 8; Titus 1: 7

Loves the truth, never lies

1 Timothy 3: 9; Titus 1: 9