1 It|strong="G2041" is|strong="G5100" a|strong="G1487" true statement|strong="G3056" that|strong="G5100" anyone|strong="G5100" whose goal is|strong="G5100" to|strong="G5100" serve as|strong="G3056" an elder has|strong="G5100" his|strong="G1487" heart set on|strong="G5100" a|strong="G1487" good|strong="G2570" work|strong="G2041".
2 An|strong="G1510" elder must|strong="G1163" be|strong="G1510" such a|strong="G1510" good|strong="G1510" man|strong="G0435" that|strong="G3767" no one|strong="G1520" can rightly criticize him|strong="G1210". He|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1163" be|strong="G1510" faithful to|strong="G1163" his|strong="G3767" wife|strong="G1135". He|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1163" have|strong="G1510" self-control and|strong="G1135" be|strong="G1510" wise. He|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1163" be|strong="G1510" respected by|strong="G1520" others|strong="G3588". He|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1163" be|strong="G1510" ready to|strong="G1163" help people|strong="G1510" by|strong="G1520" welcoming them|strong="G1510" into|strong="G1135" his|strong="G3767" home. He|strong="G1510" must|strong="G1163" be|strong="G1510" a|strong="G1510" good|strong="G1510" teacher.
3 He|strong="G0235" must|strong="G0235" not|strong="G3361" drink too much, and|strong="G0235" he|strong="G0235" must|strong="G0235" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G3361" someone who likes to|strong="G3943" fight. He|strong="G0235" must|strong="G0235" be|strong="G3361" gentle|strong="G1933" and|strong="G0235" peaceful. He|strong="G0235" must|strong="G0235" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G3361" someone who loves money|strong="G0866".
4 He|strong="G1722" must|strong="G3588" be|strong="G3956" a|strong="G2192" good|strong="G2573" leader of|strong="G3624" his|strong="G3956" own|strong="G2398" family|strong="G3624". This|strong="G3588" means|strong="G1722" that|strong="G3956" his|strong="G3956" children|strong="G5043" obey|strong="G3326" him|strong="G1722" with|strong="G3326" full|strong="G3956" respect|strong="G3956".
5 If|strong="G1487" a|strong="G1487" man|strong="G5100" does|strong="G1492" not|strong="G3756" know|strong="G1492" how|strong="G4459" to|strong="G5100" lead his|strong="G2398" own|strong="G2398" family|strong="G3624", he|strong="G1161" will|strong="G2316" not|strong="G3756" be|strong="G2316" able to|strong="G5100" take|strong="G1959" care|strong="G1959" of|strong="G2316" God’s|strong="G2316" church|strong="G1577".
6 An elder must|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G3361" a|strong="G3361" new|strong="G3504" believer. It|strong="G1519" might make|strong="G3361" him|strong="G2443" too proud of|strong="G1519" himself|strong="G1519". Then|strong="G2443" he would be|strong="G3361" condemned|strong="G2917" for|strong="G1519" his|strong="G1519" pride the|strong="G3588" same as|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" devil|strong="G1228" was|strong="G3588".
7 An|strong="G2192" elder must|strong="G1163" also|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2192" the|strong="G3588" respect|strong="G1519" of|strong="G0575" people|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3361" part of|strong="G0575" the|strong="G3588" church. Then|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" will|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G1163" criticized by|strong="G0575" others|strong="G3588" and|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1163" caught in|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" devil’s trap|strong="G3803".
8 In|strong="G4183" the|strong="G4183" same|strong="G5615" way|strong="G5615", the|strong="G4183" men|strong="G4586" who|strong="G4183" are|strong="G4183" chosen to|strong="G4183" be|strong="G4183" special servants|strong="G1249" must have|strong="G4183" the|strong="G4183" respect of|strong="G1249" others. They must not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G4183" men|strong="G4586" who|strong="G4183" say things|strong="G4183" they don’t|strong="G3361" mean or|strong="G3361" who|strong="G4183" spend their time drinking|strong="G3631" too much|strong="G4183". They must not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G4183" men|strong="G4586" who|strong="G4183" will|strong="G4183" do|strong="G3361" almost anything for|strong="G4183" money.
9 They|strong="G2192" must|strong="G3588" follow the|strong="G3588" true faith|strong="G4102" that|strong="G1722" God has|strong="G2192" now|strong="G1722" made known to|strong="G1722" us|strong="G1722" and|strong="G4102" always do|strong="G2192" what|strong="G3588" they|strong="G2192" know is|strong="G3588" right.
10 You|strong="G1510" should|strong="G3778" test|strong="G1381" them|strong="G3778" first|strong="G4413". Then|strong="G2532", if|strong="G2532" you|strong="G1510" find that|strong="G3778" they|strong="G2532" have|strong="G1510" done nothing wrong, they|strong="G2532" can be|strong="G1510" special servants.
11 In|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" same|strong="G5615" way|strong="G5615", the|strong="G3956" women|strong="G1135" must|strong="G1135" have|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" respect|strong="G3956" of|strong="G3956" others|strong="G3956". They|strong="G1722" must|strong="G1135" not|strong="G3361" be|strong="G3956" women|strong="G1135" who|strong="G3956" speak evil about|strong="G1722" other people|strong="G3956". They|strong="G1722" must|strong="G1135" have|strong="G3956" self-control and|strong="G1135" be|strong="G3956" women|strong="G1135" who|strong="G3956" can be|strong="G3956" trusted in|strong="G1722" everything|strong="G3956".
12 The|strong="G3588" men|strong="G0435" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G1510" special servants|strong="G1249" must|strong="G1135" be|strong="G1510" faithful in|strong="G2532" marriage|strong="G1135". They|strong="G2532" must|strong="G1135" be|strong="G1510" good|strong="G2573" leaders of|strong="G3624" children|strong="G5043" and|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" own|strong="G2398" families|strong="G3624".
13 Those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" do|strong="G2532" well|strong="G2573" as|strong="G1722" special servants are|strong="G3588" making an|strong="G2532" honorable|strong="G2570" place|strong="G1722" for|strong="G1063" themselves|strong="G1438". And|strong="G2532" they|strong="G2532" will|strong="G4183" feel very|strong="G4183" sure of|strong="G1722" their|strong="G1438" faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424".
14 I|strong="G3778" hope|strong="G1679" I|strong="G3778" can come|strong="G2064" to|strong="G4314" you|strong="G4771" soon|strong="G5034". But|strong="G3778" I|strong="G3778" am writing|strong="G1125" this|strong="G3778" to|strong="G4314" you|strong="G4771" now|strong="G1722",
15 so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G2443", even|strong="G2532" if|strong="G1437" I|strong="G1437" cannot come|strong="G1510" soon|strong="G1722", you|strong="G1437" will|strong="G2316" know|strong="G1492" how|strong="G4459" people|strong="G1492" should|strong="G1163" live|strong="G2198" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" family|strong="G3624" of|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316". That|strong="G2443" family|strong="G3624" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" church|strong="G1577" of|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3588" living|strong="G2198" God|strong="G2316". And|strong="G2532" God’s|strong="G2316" church|strong="G1577" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" support|strong="G1477" and|strong="G2532" foundation of|strong="G2316" the|strong="G3588" truth|strong="G0225".
16 Without|strong="G2532" a|strong="G1510" doubt, the|strong="G3588" secret of|strong="G4151" our|strong="G2532" life|strong="G4561" of|strong="G4151" worship is|strong="G1510" great|strong="G3173":