1 Timotius 3:8-10

3:8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, ¹  not two-faced, ²  not given to excessive drinking, ³  not greedy for gain, 3:9 holding to the mystery of the faith ⁴  with a clear conscience. 3:10 And these also must be tested first and then let them serve as deacons if they are found blameless.

1 Timotius 3:12-13

3:12 Deacons must be husbands of one wife ⁵  and good managers of their children and their own households. 3:13 For those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves ⁶  and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. ⁷ 

[3:8]  ¹ tn Or “respectable, honorable, of serious demeanor.”

[3:8]  ² tn Or “insincere,” “deceitful”; Grk “speaking double.”

[3:8]  ³ tn Grk “not devoted to much wine.”

[3:9]  ⁴ sn The mystery of the faith is a reference to the revealed truths of the Christian faith.

[3:12]  ⁵ tn Or “men married only once,” “devoted solely to their wives” (see the note on “wife” in 1 Tim 3:2; also 1 Tim 5:9; Titus 1:6).

[3:13]  ⁶ sn The statement those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves is reminiscent of Jesus’ teaching (Matt 20:26-28; Mark 10:43-45) that the one who wishes to be great must be a servant (διάκονος [diakonos], used here of deacons) of all, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve (διακονέω [diakonew], as in 1 Tim 3:10, 13).

[3:13]  ⁷ sn In the phrase the faith that is in Christ Jesus, the term faith seems to mean “what Christians believe, Christian truth,” rather than personal trust in Christ. So the whole phrase could mean that others will come to place greater confidence in them regarding Christian truth; but the word “confidence” is much more likely to refer to their own boldness to act on the truth of their convictions.