Have you seen Lelgee's home page? No! Then click here! Lots of interesting stuff on Revelation, Daniel, and other apocalyptic themes.
Copyright © L. L. Griffith, 1996. ISBN 0-929554-15-9. This document may be reproduced in whole or in part provided that this copyright notice is reproduced on each copy made.
Email: <lelgee@voicenet.com>The qualifications of a bishop:
(Strong's No. 1985; episkopee; to oversee, to visit),
...and of a deacon:
(Strong's No. 1249, diakonos; to run errands, to minister),
are briefly listed by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:1-15, and wholly in Titus.
...Both texts are appended below.
All Bible texts quoted are from the KJAV of 1689; the only text which, worldwide, is in the public domain.
1 This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop,
he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,
vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a
brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to
rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a
novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the
devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without;
lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Likewise [must]
the deacons [be] grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not
greedy of filthy lucre;
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure
conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the
office of a deacon, being [found] blameless.
11 Even so [must
their] wives [be] grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their
children and their own houses well.
13 For they that have used the
office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great
boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14-15 These things write I
unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly. But 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.
16 And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the
flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world, received up into glory.
1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the
faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after
godliness;
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie,
promised before the world began;
3 But hath in due times manifested his
word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment
of God our Saviour;
4 To Titus, [mine] own son after the common faith:
Grace, mercy, [and] peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our
Saviour.
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in
order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I
had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife,
having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a
bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon
angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a
lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by
sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For
there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the
circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses,
teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
12 One of themselves, [even] a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians
[are] alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
13 This witness is true.
Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
14
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the
truth.
15 Unto the pure all things [are] pure: but unto them that are
defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is
defiled.
16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny
[him], being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2 That the
aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in
patience.
3 The aged women likewise, that [they be] in behaviour
as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of
good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 [To be] discreet,
chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of
God be not blasphemed.
6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober
minded.
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in
doctrine [shewing] uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech,
that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed,
having no evil thing to say of you.
9 [Exhort] servants to be obedient
unto their own masters, [and] to please [them] well in all [things]; not
answering again;
10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that
they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
11 For the
grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that
blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all
iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no
man despise thee.
1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey
magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
2 To speak evil of no man,
to be no brawlers, [but] gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
3 For
we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers
lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one
another.
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward
man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing
of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ
our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs
according to the hope of eternal life.
8 [This is] a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm
constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain
good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies and contentions and
strivings about the Law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
10 A man
that is an heretic after the first and second admonition refuse (to answer);
11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned
of himself.
12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be
diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.
13 Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that
nothing be wanting unto them.
14 And let ours also learn to maintain good
works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
15 All that are
with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace [be] with you
all. Amen.