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This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
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A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
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Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
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One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
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For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
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Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
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Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
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Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
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Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
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And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
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Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
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Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
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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.
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These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
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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.
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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.
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Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
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Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
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Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
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For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
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For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
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If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
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But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
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For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
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This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
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For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
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These things command and teach.
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Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
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Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
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Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
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Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
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Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
