In a divinely inspired letter sent by the apostle
the qualifications necessary for deacons, after
revealing the qualifications necessary for bishops:
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husband of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 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. These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 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. 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.-1 Timothy 3:8-16
ground = hedraioma/hedraios = base, foundation
justified = edikaiothe/dikaioo/dikaios = declare righteous, to be just or righteous, acquit
manifest = ephanerothe = phaneroo/phaneros = revealed, make visible, to make clear
mystery = mysterion/musterion = a divine doctrine, secret doctrine
without controversy = homologoumenos/homologeo = confessedly, openly acknowledged
Reference Scriptures:
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.-Matthew 4:10-11
And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming out out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.-Mark 1:9-11
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.-Luke 3:21-22...And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,-Luke 3:23...Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.-Luke 3:38
And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.-Luke 24:36...Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.-Luke 24:45-47...And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.-Luke 24:51
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.-John 1:1...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.-John 1:14
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.-Acts 13:42
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,-2 Timothy 1:1...Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.-2 Timothy 1:11
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;-Hebrews 1:1-2...And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.-Hebrews 1:6
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.-1 Peter 1:18-21
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.-1 John 1:1-3
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but my water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.-1 John 5:5-7
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