Requirements for Positions for Bishops & Deacons |
1st Timothy 3:1-16 Paul's 1st Epistle to Timothy [in Smaller Chunks] |
This saying is true, If a man [desires] the office, [a.k.a. position,] of a bishop, he [desires] a good work, [a.k.a. occupation.] |
Then, a bishop must be: blameless, [a.k.a. beyond reproach;] the husband of 1 wife; vigilant, [a.k.a. attentive;] sober; [with] good behavior; [predisposed] to hospitality; [able] to teach; not [an alcoholic; not violent;] not greedy [for money gained dishonestly.] |
But [instead, a bishop is to be:] patient; [not aggressive;] not [envious; someone, who rules] his own [household] well, having his children [under control,] with [reverence.] (For: if a man [doesn't] know how to rule his own [household,] how [can] he take care of [God's] church?) |
[He shouldn't be] a novice, [a.k.a. inexperienced;] lest [he] [is] lifted up with pride, & he [falls] into condemnation, [through] the devil. [1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, & be vigilant; because your adversary, [a.k.a. enemy,] the devil, [is] [like] a roaring lion, [that] [walks around,] seeking whom he may devour.] |
Also,] he must have a good report, [a.k.a. reputation, with those, who] are without [faith in Jesus Christ,] lest he [falls] into [disgrace] & the [devil's trap.] [Ephesians 6:11-12 Put on the whole [armor] of God, [so] that you may be able to stand [up] against the wiles, [a.k.a. tricks,] of the devil. For we [don't] wrestle against flesh & blood, but [we wrestle] against: principalities; powers; rulers of the [world's] darkness, & against spiritual wickedness in high places.] |
[Deacons must [also] be: [dignified;] not [two-faced;] not [an alcoholic;] not greedy [for money gained dishonestly;] & [holds] the mystery of faith in [Jesus Christ with] a pure conscience. |
And first, let these also be proved, [a.k.a. verified;] then let [those,] being found [beyond reproach, serve] the office of a deacon. Even so, their wives must be: [respectful;] not slanderers; sober; & faithful in all things. |
Let the deacons be the husbands of 1 wife; ruling their children & their own [households] well. For [those, who] have used the office of a deacon well, & [boldly] [share his] faith, which is in Christ Jesus, have [earned for] themselves a good [reputation.] |
I write these things to you, hoping to come to you shortly. But if I tarry, [a.k.a. wait,] long, [I want] that you [may] know how you [should conduct] yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the Living God, [in which is] the pillar & [foundation] of the Truth. [John 14:6 Jesus [said] to him, I Am the Way, the Truth, & the Life. No man [comes] to the Father, [except] by Me.] |
And great is the mystery of godliness, without controversy, [that] God was manifest, [a.k.a. made visible,] in the flesh. [1 Corinthians 15:3-10 *For first, I delivered to you all of [what] I also received, & how Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. *And that He was buried, & He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. And that He was seen [by] Cephas, [a.k.a. Simon Peter,] & then by the 12. After that, [Christ] was seen [by over] 500 brethren at once. Of whom the greater part, [a.k.a. the majority,] remain [until] this [day,] but some are fallen asleep, [a.k.a. have died.] After that, He was seen [by] James, & then [by] all the apostles. And last of all, He was also seen [by] me, [like] one born out of due time, [a.k.a. like a past due baby that is born.] For I am the least of the apostles, & [I'm] not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But [through] the Grace of God, I am what I am. And His grace was bestowed, [a.k.a. presented to,] me, & [wasn't] [done] in vain. But I [labored, a.k.a. worked,] more abundantly, [preaching about Jesus Christ,] than all [of] [them. [Still,] not I, but the grace of God, which was [within] me.] |
[Jesus was] justified [by] the [Holy] Spirit. [Luke 3:21-22 Now, when all the people were baptized, it [happened,] that Jesus, also [was] being baptized, & praying, & the heaven was opened, & the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit,] descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon [Jesus,] & a voice came from heaven, which said, You [are] My beloved Son. I Am well pleased in You.] |
[Jesus was] seen [by] Angels; [& the faith about Jesus Christ has been] preached to the Gentiles. [Acts 13:46-4 Then, Paul & Barnabas [grew] bold, & said, It was necessary that the Word of God, should 1st have been spoken to you, [a.k.a. Jews.] But [since] you put it [away] from you, & judge yourselves unworthy of Everlasting Life, [look,] we turn to the Gentiles. For the Lord [has] commanded us so, saying, I have [put] you to be a Light [for] the Gentiles, [so] that you should be for Salvation to the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, & glorified the Word of the Lord. And as many as believed, were ordained, [a.k.a. appointed,] to Eternal Life. And the Word of the Lord was published, [a.k.a. proclaimed,] throughout all the region.] |
The world has believed in [Jesus Christ, & He has been] received up into glory. [Acts 1:8-11 But you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit, has] come upon you. And you shall be [My] witnesses both in Jerusalem, & in all Judaea, [a.k.a. Judea,] & in Samaria, & to the [furthest parts] of earth. And when [Jesus Christ] had spoken these things, while they [watched,] a cloud received Him, & He was taken up out of their sight. And while they [steadily] looked toward heaven, as He went up, [saw] 2 men stood by them, in white [garments, who] also said, You men of Galilee, why [do] you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, [Who] is taken up from you into heaven, shall [also] come in [a] [similar] manner, as you have seen Him go into heaven.] |