1   This is] a faithful saying: Yf a man desire þe; office of a bishop, he desireth a good worke.

2   A bishop therfore must be blamelesse, the husband of one wyfe, watchyng, sober, comely apparelled, a louer of hospitalitie, apt to teache,

3   Not geuen to ouermuch wine, no striker, not greedy of fylthy lucre: but gentle, abhorryng fyghtyng, abhorryng couetousnesse:

4   One that ruleth well his owne house, hauyng chyldren in subiection, with all grauitie. B   

5   For yf a man knowe not to rule his owne house, howe shall he care for the Churche of God?

6   Not a young scoler, lest he, beyng puffed vp, ^note fall into the condempnation of the deuyll.

7   He must also haue a good report of th&ebar; which are without, lest he fall into the rebuke and snare of the deuyll.

8   Likewise must þe; ministers be ^note graue, not double tongued, not geuen to much wine, neither greedy of fylthy lucre:

9    ^noteHoldyng the misterie of the fayth in a pure conscience. C   

10   And let them first be proued, then let them minister, beyng blamelesse.

11   Euen so must their wyues be graue, not euyll speakers, sober, faythfull in all thynges.

12   Let the deacons be the husbandes of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their owne housholdes.

13    ^noteFor they that haue ministred well, get them selues a good degree, and great libertie in the fayth [whiche is] in Christe Iesus.

14   These thynges write I vnto thee, hopyng to come shortly vnto thee: D   

15   But yf I tary long, that thou mayest knowe howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God, whiche is the Church of the lyuyng God, the pyller

and grounde of trueth.

16   And without doubt, great is that misterie of godlynesse: ^note God was shewed in the flesshe, was iustified in the spirite, was seene among the angels, was preached vnto the gentiles, was beleued on in the worlde, and was receaued vp in glorie.

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