1. What I say is true: If anyone wants to become an overseer, he is wanting a good work.
2. An overseer must be so good that people cannot rightly criticize him. He must have only one wife. He must have self-control and be wise. He must be respected by other people and must be ready to help people by accepting them into his home. He must be a good teacher.
3. He must not drink too much wine, and he must not be a man who likes to fight. He must be gentle and peaceful. He must not love money.
4. He must be a good leader of his own family so that his children obey him with full respect.
5. (If a man does not know how to be a leader over his own family, he will not be able to take care of God’s church.)
6. But an elder must not be a new believer. A new believer might be too proud of himself. Then he would be judged guilty for his pride just as the devil was.
7. An elder must also have the respect of people who are not in the church. Then he will not be criticized by others and caught in the devil’s trap.