Bible / 1 Timothy
1 Timothy 3
World English Bible, Catholic edition, in plain modern English. About the translations
Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision, the traditional Catholic English Bible. About the translations
1 This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work. CCC
2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
5 (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)
6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,
9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.
12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly,
15 but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. CCC · Fathers
16 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory. CCC · Fathers
1 A faithful saying: If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. CCC
2 It behoveth therefore a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher,
3 Not given to wine, no striker, but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, but
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity.
5 But if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?
6 Not a neophyte: lest, being puffed up with pride, he fall into the judgment of the devil.
7 Moreover, he must have a good testimony of them who are without: lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Deacons in like manner: chaste, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre:
9 Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved: and so let them minister, having no crime.
11 The women in like manner: chaste, not slanderers, but sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife: who rule well their children and their own houses.
13 For they that have ministered well shall purchase to themselves a good degree and much confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to thee, hoping that I shall come to thee shortly.
15 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. CCC · Fathers
16 And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world, is taken up in glory. CCC · Fathers
This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church
Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1577 “Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination." The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve…”
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 756 “Often, too, the Church is called the building of God. the Lord compared himself to the stone which the builders rejected, but…”
- CCC 2032 “The Church, the "pillar and bulwark of the truth," "has received this solemn command of Christ from the apostles to announce the…”
“For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is scattered throughout all the world, and the "pillar and ground”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 463 “Belief in the true Incarnation of the Son of God is the distinctive sign of Christian faith: "By this you know the…”
- CCC 2641 “[Address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart." Like…”
“For which reason He sent the Word, that He might be manifested to the world; and He, being despised by the people [of the Jews], was, when preached by the Apostles, believed on by the Gentiles.”
Quoted in Letter to Diognetus, Unknown author (2nd century), Chapter XI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1