1  Faithful is this word: If anyone aspires to the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.

1  Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

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

2  It is necessary, therefore, for a bishop to be irreproachable, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful at teaching;

2  The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

2  He who becomes an bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, have an alert mind, must be sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, and apt at teaching;

3  not given to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not loving money;

3  no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;

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

4  one ruling his own house well, having [his] children in submission with all reverence;

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

4  One who rules well his own household, and keeps his children under submission to bring them up with all purity.

5  (for if one does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);

5  (but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

5  For if a man does not know how to rule well his own household, how shall he take care of the church of God?

6  not a new convert, lest being puffed up [with pride] he fall into the [same] condemnation as the devil.

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

7  Moreover he must have a good testimony among those outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

7  And 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.

7  Moreover, he must have a good report from outsiders; lest he fall into reproach and the snares of the devil.

8  Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not being given to much wine, not greedy for money,

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

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

9  But they must uphold the divine mystery of faith with a pure conscience.

10  But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being irreproachable.

10  And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless.

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

11  Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

11  Women in like manner [must be] grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

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

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

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

12  Let the deacons be appointed from those who have not been polygamous, ruling their children and their own households well.

13  For those who have served well as deacons obtain a standing for themselves and much boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

13  For those who minister well earn good recognition for themselves and grow more familiar with the faith of Jesus Christ.

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  These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

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

15  but if I am delayed, [I write] so that you may know how it is necessary to conduct oneself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

16  And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among [the ]Gentiles, believed on in the world, [and ]was received up in glory.

16  And 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.

16  Truly great is this divine mystery of righteousness: it is revealed in the flesh, justi- fied in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory.

4:1  But the Spirit explicitly says, that in latter times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

1  Now the Spirit has clearly said that, in the end times, some persons will depart from the faith, paying attention to spirits of error and the doctrines of devils,

4:2  speaking lies in hypocrisy, having been seared with a hot iron [as to ]their own conscience,

2  through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;

2  Who with false appearance mislead and speak lies and are seared in their own conscience;

4:3  forbidding to marry, [commanding] to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who are believers and have come to know the truth.

3  prohibiting marriage, abstaining from foods, which God has created to be accepted with thanksgiving by the faithful and by those who have understood the truth.

3  Who prohibit marriage, and demand abstinence from foods which God has created for use and thanksgiving of those who believe and know the truth.

4:4  Because every creature of God is good, and not one is to be rejected, being received with thanksgiving,

4  For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving

4:5  for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

5  for it has been sanctified by the Word of God and by prayer.

4:6  Instructing the brothers in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, being nourished by the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

6  If thou put the brethren in mind of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which thou hast followed [until now]

4:7  But reject profane and old wives' tales, and exercise yourself unto godliness.

7  But avoid the silly fables of old women. And exercise yourself so as to advance in piety.

7  Refuse foolish and old wives fables, and train yourself in righteousness.

4:8  For bodily exercise is profitable a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life and of the coming life.

8  For the exercise of the body is somewhat useful. But piety is useful in all things, holding the promise of life, in the present and in the future.

8  For physical training profits only for a little while: but righteousness is profitable in all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

4:9  Trustworthy is this word and worthy of all acceptance.

9  Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation.

9  This is a true saying and worthy to be accepted.

4:10  For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

10  For this reason we labor and are maligned: because we hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, most especially of the faithful.

4:11  These things command and teach.

11  Instruct and teach these things.

4:12  Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but [rather ]become a pattern for the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

12  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity.

12  Let no one despise your youth, but be an example among the faithful in word, in behavior, in charity, in faith, in chastity.

4:13  Until I come, give attention to [public] reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

13  Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.

13  And until I come, strive to study, and continue in prayer and teaching.

4:14  Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

14  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

14  Do not be willing to neglect the grace that is within you, which was given to you through prophecy, with the imposition of the hands of the priesthood.

4:15  Meditate on these things; be in these things[, ]so that your progress may be evident to all.

15  Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all.

15  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

4:16  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

16  Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.

16  Pay attention to yourself and to doctrine. Pursue these things. For in doing so, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

5:1  Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but [rather ]exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,

1  Rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brethren

1  You should not rebuke an old man, but rather plead with him, as if he were your father; with young men, like brothers;

5:2  older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

2  with old women, like mothers; with young women, in all chastity, like sisters.

2  And the elder women treat as mothers, and the younger as your sisters, with all purity.

5:3  Honor widows who are really widows.

3  Honor those widows who are true widows.

5:4  But if a certain widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety to their own household and to make repayment to their parents; for this is acceptable before God.

4  And if any of the widows have children, or grandchildren, let them know that aid should be first sought from those of their own household so that the children have the opportunity to repay their obligations to their parents: for this is acceptable before God.

5:5  Now she who is really a widow and having been left alone, has set her hope on God, and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.

5  Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, hath her hope set on God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

5  But she who is truly a widow and is destitute, let her hope in God, and let her be urgent in supplications and prayers, night and day.

5:6  But she who is living for pleasure is dead while she lives.

6  For she who is living in pleasures is dead, while living.

5:7  And these things command, so that they may be blameless.

5:8  But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his [own] house, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

8  But, if any man does not provide for his own, and especially for those who are of his own household who are of the faith, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

5:9  Let a widow be enrolled having become not less than sixty years, [the] wife of one man,

9  When you select a worthy widow to help, select therefore one who is not less than three score years, who has been the wife of one man only,

9  Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,

5:10  having a reputation for good works, if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

10  who has testimony of her good works: whether she has educated children, or has provided hospitality, or has washed the feet of the saints, or has ministered to those suffering tribulation, or has pursued any kind of good work.

5:11  But refuse [to enroll] the younger widows; for whenever they grow lustful against Christ, they desire to marry,

11  But younger widows refuse: for when they have waxed wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;

11  But avoid the younger widows. For once they have flourished in Christ, they will want to marry,

5:12  having condemnation because they have set aside their first faith.

12  resulting in damnation, because they have disregarded the primacy of faith.

12  Their judgment awaits them because they have been untrue to their first faith.

5:13  And besides they learn to be idle, going around from house to house, and not only idle but also gossipy and busybodies, speaking things [which are] not proper.

13  And withal they learn also [to be] idle, going about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

13  And being at the same time also idle, they learn to go from house to house, being not only idle, but also talkative and curious, speaking of things which do not concern them.

5:14  Therefore I desire that the younger widows to marry, to bear children, to manage the house, to give no opportunity to the adversary because of reproach.

14  I would, therefore, that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage their own households, and give no occasion to the adversary for disdain.

5:15  For already some have turned aside after Satan.

15  For certain ones have already been turned back to Satan.

15  For, as conditions are now, some have already strayed after Satan.

5:16  If any believing man or believing woman has widows, let [that one] relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.

16  If any among the faithful have widows, let him minister to them and not burden the Church, so that there may be enough for those who are true widows.

16  If any believers, either man or woman, have widows in their families, let them feed them, and do not let them be a burden on the congregation, so that the church may have enough for those who are widows indeed.

5:17  Let the elders having ruled well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

17  Let priests who lead well be held worthy of twice the honor, especially those who labor in the Word and in doctrine.

5:18  For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox threshing [grain],"and, "The worker is worthy of his wages."

18  For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his hire.

18  For Scripture says: “You shall not muzzle an ox as it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his pay.”

5:19  Do not receive an accusation against an elder unless on [the basis of] two or three witnesses.

19  Against an elder receive not an accusation, except at [the mouth of] two or three witnesses.

5:20  Those who are sinning rebuke before all, that the rest also may have fear.

20  Them that sin reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.

20  Reprove sinners in the sight of everyone, so that the others may have fear.

5:21  I charge you before God and YHWH Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing according to partiality.

21  I testify before God and Christ Jesus and the elect Angels, that you should observe these things without prejudgment, doing nothing which shows favoritism to either side.

21  I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

5:22  Lay hands on no one hastily, nor share in [the] sins of others; keep yourself pure.

22  You should not be quick to impose hands on anyone, nor should you take part in the sins of outsiders. Keep yourself chaste.

22  Do not lay hands hastily on any man, neither be a partaker of other menÆs sins; keep yourself pure.

5:23  No longer drink water [only], but use a little wine on account of your stomach, and your frequent illnesses.

23  Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for thy stomach`s sake and thine often infirmities.

5:24  The sins of some men are evident beforehand, preceding them to judgment, but some also follow after.

24  Some men`s sins are evident, going before unto judgment; and some men also they follow after.

24  There are men whose crimes are well known and the notoriety of them precedes them to the house of judgment, and there are others, the notoriety of whose crimes follows after them.

5:25  Likewise also the good works [of some] are evident beforehand, and those which are otherwise cannot be hidden.

25  In like manner also there are good works that are evident; and such as are otherwise cannot be hid.

25  Similarly, too, good deeds have been made manifest, but even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden.