Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
3 2 He setteth out Bishops, 8 and Christian deacons with their wives, 12 children and family, 15 he calleth the Church the house of God.
1 This [a]is a true saying, [b]If any man [c]desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a worthy work.
2 (A)A Bishop therefore must be unreproveable, the husband of one [d]wife, watching, temperate, modest, harborous, apt to teach,
3 Not [e]given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, no fighter, not covetous.
4 One that can rule his own house honestly, having children under obedience with all honesty.
5 For if any cannot rule his own house, how shall he care for the Church of God?
6 He may not be a young scholar, lest he being puffed up fall into the [f]condemnation of the devil.
7 He must also be well reported of, even of them which are without, lest he fall into rebuke, and the snare of the devil.
8 [g]Likewise must [h]Deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given unto much wine, neither to filthy lucre,
9 (B)Having the [i]mystery of the faith in pure conscience.
10 And let them first be proved, then let them minister, if they be found blameless.
11 [j]Likewise their wives must be honest, not evil speakers, but sober, and faithful in all things.
12 [k]Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their own households.
13 For they that have ministered well, get themselves a good [l]decree, and [m]great liberty in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
14 [n]These things write I unto thee, trusting to come very shortly unto thee.
15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest yet know, how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the [o]house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the [p]pillar and ground of truth.
16 [q]And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, [r]justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
4 1 He condemneth as well false doctrine, 3 of marriage and the choice of meats, 7 as also profane fables: 8 and commendeth the godly exercise, 13 and the daily reading of the Scriptures.
1 Now [s]the Spirit speaketh evidently, that in the latter times some shall depart from the [t]faith, and shall give heed unto spirits of error, and doctrines of devils,
2 [u]Which speak lies through [v]hypocrisy, and have their [w]consciences burned with an hot iron,
3 [x]Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats [y]which God hath created [z]to be received [aa]with giving thanks of them which believe and know the truth.
4 [ab]For every creature of God is good, and nothing ought to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.
5 [ac]For it is [ad]sanctified by the [ae]word of God, and prayer.
6 [af]If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, which hast been nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine which thou hast continually [ag]followed.
7 [ah]But cast away profane, and old wives’ fables, [ai]and exercise thyself unto [aj]godliness.
8 [ak]For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come.
9 [al]This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received.
10 For therefore we labor and are rebuked, because we trust in the living God, which is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.
11 These things warn and teach.
12 [am]Let no man despise thy youth, but be unto them that believe, an ensample, in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith and in pureness.
13 [an]Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine.
14 Despise not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the company of the Eldership.
15 These things exercise, and give thyself unto them, that it may be seen how thou profitest among all men.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto learning: continue therein: for in doing this thou shalt both [ao]save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.