1 Timothy Chapter 3

What sort of men are to be admitted into the clergy. The Church is the pillar of truth.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 A faithful saying: If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth good work. 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, Of one wife.... The meaning is not that every bishop should have a wife (for St. Paul himself had none), but that no one should be admitted to the holy orders of bishop, priest, or deacon, who had been married more than once. 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. A neophyte.... That is, one lately baptized, a young convert. 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. The pillar and ground of the truth.... Therefore the church of the living God can never uphold error, nor bring in corruptions, superstition, or idolatry. 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.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Fidelis sermo: si quis episcopatum desiderat, bonum opus desiderat. 2 Oportet ergo episcopum irreprehensibilem esse, unius uxoris virum, sobrium, prudentem, ornatum, pudicum, hospitalem, doctorem, 3 non vinolentum, non percussorem, sed modestum: non litigiosum, non cupidum, sed 4 suæ domui bene præpositum: filios habentem subditos cum omni castitate. 5 Si quis autem domui suæ præesse nescit, quomodo ecclesiæ Dei diligentiam habebit? 6 Non neophytum: ne in superbiam elatus, in judicium incidat diaboli. 7 Oportet autem illum et testimonium habere bonum ab iis qui foris sunt, ut non in opprobrium incidat, et in laqueum diaboli. 8 Diaconos similiter pudicos, non bilingues, non multo vino deditos, non turpe lucrum sectantes: 9 habentes mysterium fidei in conscientia pura. 10 Et hi autem probentur primum: et sic ministrent, nullum crimen habentes. 11 Mulieres similiter pudicas, non detrahentes, sobrias, fideles in omnibus. 12 Diaconi sint unius uxoris viri, qui filiis suis bene præsint, et suis domibus. 13 Qui enim bene ministraverint, gradum bonum sibi acquirent, et multam fiduciam in fide, quæ est in Christo Jesu.

14 Hæc tibi scribo, sperans me ad te venire cito: 15 si autem tardavero, ut scias quomodo oporteat te in domo Dei conversari, quæ est ecclesia Dei vivi, columna et firmamentum veritatis. 16 Et manifeste magnum est pietatis sacramentum, quod manifestatum est in carne, justificatum est in spiritu, apparuit angelis, prædicatum est gentibus, creditum est in mundo, assumptum est in gloria.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition