弟茂德前书 3

1A faithful saying: if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

2It behoveth therefore a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher,

3Not given to wine, no striker, but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, but

4One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity.

5But if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?

6Not a neophyte: lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the judgment of the devil.

7Moreover he must have a good testimony of them who are without: lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8Deacons in like manner chaste, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre:

9Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.

10And let these also first be proved: and so let them minister, having no crime.

11The women in like manner chaste, not slanderers, but sober, faithful in all things.

12Let deacons be the husbands of one wife: who rule well their children, and their own houses.

13For they that have ministered well, shall purchase to themselves a good degree, and much confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14These things I write to thee, hoping that I shall come to thee shortly.

15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

16And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world, is taken up in glory.

1Fidelis sermo: si quis episcopatum desiderat, bonum opus desiderat.

2Oportet ergo episcopum irreprehensibilem esse, unius uxoris virum, sobrium, prudentem, ornatum, pudicum, hospitalem, doctorem,

3non vinolentum, non percussorem, sed modestum: non litigiosum, non cupidum, sed

4suæ domui bene præpositum: filios habentem subditos cum omni castitate.

5Si quis autem domui suæ præesse nescit, quomodo ecclesiæ Dei diligentiam habebit?

6Non neophytum: ne in superbiam elatus, in judicium incidat diaboli.

7Oportet autem illum et testimonium habere bonum ab iis qui foris sunt, ut non in opprobrium incidat, et in laqueum diaboli.

8Diaconos similiter pudicos, non bilingues, non multo vino deditos, non turpe lucrum sectantes:

9habentes mysterium fidei in conscientia pura.

10Et hi autem probentur primum: et sic ministrent, nullum crimen habentes.

11Mulieres similiter pudicas, non detrahentes, sobrias, fideles in omnibus.

12Diaconi sint unius uxoris viri, qui filiis suis bene præsint, et suis domibus.

13Qui enim bene ministraverint, gradum bonum sibi acquirent, et multam fiduciam in fide, quæ est in Christo Jesu.

14Hæc tibi scribo, sperans me ad te venire cito:

15si autem tardavero, ut scias quomodo oporteat te in domo Dei conversari, quæ est ecclesia Dei vivi, columna et firmamentum veritatis.

16Et manifeste magnum est pietatis sacramentum, quod manifestatum est in carne, justificatum est in spiritu, apparuit angelis, prædicatum est gentibus, creditum est in mundo, assumptum est in gloria.

1It is a faithful saying: if a man desires the episcopate, he desires a good work.

2Therefore, it is necessary for a bishop to be beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, gracious, chaste, hospitable, a teacher,

3not a drunkard, not combative but restrained, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

4but a man who leads his own house well, having children who are subordinate with all chastity.

5For if a man does not know how to lead his own house, how will he take care of the Church of God?

6He must not be a new convert, lest, being elated by pride, he may fall under the sentence of the devil.

7And it is necessary for him also to have good testimony from those who are outside, so that he may not fall into disrepute and the snare of the devil.

8Similarly, deacons must be chaste, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not pursuing tainted profit,

9holding to the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

10And these things should be proven first, and then they may minister, being without offense.

11Similarly, the women must be chaste, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

12Deacons should be the husband of one wife, men who lead their own children and their own houses well.

13For those who have ministered well will acquire for themselves a good position, and much confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14I am writing these things to you, with the hope that I will come to you soon.

15But, if I am delayed, you should know the manner in which it is necessary to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and the foundation of truth.

16And it is clearly great, this mystery of piety, which was manifested in the flesh, which was justified in the Spirit, which has appeared to Angels, which has been preached to the Gentiles, which is believed in the world, which has been taken up in glory.