003:002 A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character,
true to his one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved,
hospitable to strangers, and with a gift for teaching;
003:003 not a hard drinker nor given to blows; not selfish or
quarrelsome or covetous;
003:004 but ruling his own household wisely and well, with children
kept under control with true dignity.
003:005 (If a man does not know how to rule his own household,
how shall he have the Church of God given into his care?)
003:006 He ought not to be a new convert, for fear he should be blinded
with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil.
003:007 It is needful also that he bear a good character with people
outside the Church, lest he fall into reproach or a snare
of the Devil.
003:008 Deacons, in the same way, must be men of serious demeanour,
not double-tongued, nor addicted to much wine, nor greedy
of base gain,
003:009 but holding the secret truths of the faith with a clear conscience.
003:010 And they must also be well-tried men, and when found to be
of unblemished character then let them serve as deacons.
003:011 Deaconesses, in the same way, must be sober-minded women,
not slanderers, but in every way temperate and trustworthy.
003:012 A deacon must be true to his one wife, and rule his children
and his own household wisely and well.
003:013 For those who have filled the deacon's office wisely and well,
are already gaining for themselves an honourable standing,
and are acquiring great freedom of speech in proclaiming
the faith which rests on Christ Jesus.
003:014 All this I write to you, though I am hoping before long to come
to see you.