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1 Timothy 3
GOD’S WORD Translation

Guidelines for Leaders in the Church

3 This is a statement that can be trusted: If anyone sets his heart on being a bishop, he desires something excellent. 2 A bishop must have a good reputation. He must have only one wife, be sober, use good judgment, be respectable, be hospitable, and be able to teach. 3 He must not drink excessively or be a violent person, but he must be gentle. He must not be quarrelsome or love money. 4 He must manage his own family well. His children should respectfully obey him. 5 (If a man doesn’t know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a new Christian, or he might become arrogant like the devil and be condemned. 7 People who are not Christians must speak well of him, or he might become the victim of disgraceful insults that the devil sets as traps for him.

8 Deacons must also be of good character. They must not be two-faced or addicted to alcohol. They must not use shameful ways to make money. 9 They must have clear consciences about possessing the mystery of the Christian faith. 10 First, a person must be evaluated. Then, if he has a good reputation, he may become a deacon.

11 Their wives must also be of good character. They must not be gossips, but they must control their tempers and be trustworthy in every way.

12 A deacon must have only one wife. Deacons must manage their children and their families well. 13 Those deacons who serve well gain an excellent reputation and will have confidence as a result of their faith in Christ Jesus.

14 I hope to visit you soon. However, I’m writing this to you 15 in case I’m delayed. I want you to know how people who are members of God’s family must live. God’s family is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

16 The mystery that gives us our reverence for God is acknowledged to be great:

He [a] appeared in his human nature,
was approved by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was announced throughout the nations,
was believed in the world,
and was taken to heaven in glory.

Footnotes

  1. 3:16 Some manuscripts read “God.”
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1 Timothy 3
New King James Version

Qualifications of Overseers

3 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a [a]bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not [b]given to wine, not violent, [c]not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not [d]covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a [e]novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the (A)snare of the devil.

Qualifications of Deacons

8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, (B)not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the [f]mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. 11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not [g]slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well as deacons (C)obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The Great Mystery

14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and [h]ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the [i]mystery of godliness:

(D)God[j] was manifested in the flesh,
(E)Justified in the Spirit,
(F)Seen by angels,
(G)Preached among the Gentiles,
(H)Believed on in the world,
(I)Received up in glory.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 3:1 Lit. overseer
  2. 1 Timothy 3:3 addicted
  3. 1 Timothy 3:3 NU omits not greedy for money
  4. 1 Timothy 3:3 loving money
  5. 1 Timothy 3:6 new convert
  6. 1 Timothy 3:9 hidden truth
  7. 1 Timothy 3:11 malicious gossips
  8. 1 Timothy 3:15 foundation, mainstay
  9. 1 Timothy 3:16 hidden truth
  10. 1 Timothy 3:16 NU Who
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1 Timothy 3
New International Version

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

3 Here is a trustworthy saying:(A) Whoever aspires to be an overseer(B) desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach,(C) faithful to his wife,(D) temperate,(E) self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,(F) able to teach,(G) 3 not given to drunkenness,(H) not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome,(I) not a lover of money.(J) 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect.(K) 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)(L) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited(M) and fall under the same judgment(N) as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders,(O) so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.(P)

8 In the same way, deacons[b](Q) are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine,(R) and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.(S) 10 They must first be tested;(T) and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, the women[c] are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers(U) but temperate(V) and trustworthy in everything.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife(W) and must manage his children and his household well.(X) 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Reasons for Paul’s Instructions

14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church(Y) of the living God,(Z) the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16 Beyond all question, the mystery(AA) from which true godliness(AB) springs is great:

He appeared in the flesh,(AC)
    was vindicated by the Spirit,[d]
was seen by angels,
    was preached among the nations,(AD)
was believed on in the world,
    was taken up in glory.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 3:4 Or him with proper
  2. 1 Timothy 3:8 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in verse 12; and in Romans 16:1 and Phil. 1:1.
  3. 1 Timothy 3:11 Possibly deacons’ wives or women who are deacons
  4. 1 Timothy 3:16 Or vindicated in spirit
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Timoteju 1 3
Biblija: suvremeni hrvatski prijevod

Crkveno vodstvo

3 Ovo što kažem je istinito: ako netko želi služiti u starješinstvu[a], teži časnom poslu. 2 Starješina[b] mora voditi besprijekoran život. Smije imati samo jednu ženu. Mora biti trijezan, razborit, čestit i gostoljubiv. Mora biti sposoban poučavati. 3 Ne smije biti sklon piću ni nasilnik, već blag i miroljubiv čovjek. Ne smije voljeti novac. 4 Mora dobro upravljati svojim domaćinstvom i paziti da ga djeca slušaju s punim poštovanjem. 5 Ako tko ne zna kako upravljati vlastitom obitelji, kako će moći brinuti o Božjoj Crkvi? 6 Ne smije biti novi obraćenik da se ne bi uzoholio i bio osuđen kao što je bio i đavao. 7 Nadalje, mora uživati ugled i među onima koji nisu vjernici, da ne bi bio osramoćen i uhvaćen u đavlovu zamku.

Crkveni pomoćnici

8 Isto tako i pomoćnici u crkvi[c] moraju biti vrijedni poštovanja. Ne smiju biti dvolični, skloni opijanju niti pohlepni za novcem. 9 Moraju se čiste savjesti pridržavati dubokih istina vjere. 10 Oni se najprije trebaju dokazati na djelu i tek tada, ako se pokažu bez prigovora, mogu služiti u toj službi. 11 Isto tako i žene[d] moraju biti vrijedne poštovanja. Ne smiju ogovarati, nego vladati sobom i biti u svemu dostojne povjerenja. 12 Pomoćnici moraju imati jednu ženu[e] i moraju dobro upravljati svojom djecom i svojim domaćinstvom. 13 Oni koji dobro obavljaju pomoćničku službu, stječu častan položaj i veliku sigurnost u vjeri u Isusa Krista.

Tajna pobožnosti

14 Pišem ti ovo sada, premda se nadam da ću uskoro doći k tebi. 15 No, ako se moj put odgodi, želim da znaš kako se čovjek treba ponašati u Božjem domu, a to je Crkva živoga Boga, temelj i stup istine. 16 Zaista, velika je tajna pobožnog života:

Krist se pojavio u ljudskom tijelu,
    potvrđen je od Duha,
viđen je od anđela,
    objavljen je narodima,
po svijetu su vjerovali u njega,
    na Nebo je uzdignut u slavi.

Footnotes

  1. 3,1 starješinstvo Doslovno: »nadgledništvo«, pastoralna služba, dušobrižništvo.
  2. 3,2 Starješina Doslovno: »nadglednik«, jedan od vođa lokalne Crkve.
  3. 3,8 pomoćnik u crkvi Doslovno: »đakon«, od grčke riječi »diakonos«.
  4. 3,11 žene Vjerojatno se odnosi na pomoćnice u crkvi (vidi Rim 16,1), ali moguće je da se odnosi na supruge pomoćnika.
  5. 3,12 imati jednu ženu Druge mogućnosti prijevoda: »biti samo jedanput oženjeni« ili »biti vjerni svojoj ženi«.
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