Qualifications for Overseers
(Titus 1:5–9; 1 Peter 5:1–4)

1Faithful is the saying, "If anyone desires the office of bishop, he covets a noble work." 2It is needful, therefore, that the bishop be irreproachable, a husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, hospitable, apt to teach, 3not given to wine, not a striker, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money, 4presiding well over his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity 5(but, if one knows not how to preside over his own house, how will he take care of an assembly of God?); 6not a novice; lest, being puffed up, he fall into condemnation of the Devil. 7And it is needful also that he have an honorable testimony from those without, lest he fall into reproach and a snare of the Devil.

Qualifications for Deacons
(Acts 6:1–7)

8It is needful that deacons, in like manner, be grave, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy of base gain; 9holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10But let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, being without reproach. 11It is needful that their wives, in like manner, be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12Let deacons be husbands of one wife, presiding well over their own children and their own houses. 13For those serving well as deacons acquire for themselves a noble standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Godliness

14These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly; 15but, if I delay, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in a house of God, which, indeed, is an assembly of the living God, a pillar and basis of the truth,

16And, confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifested in flesh, was justified in the Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.