Fidelis sermo: si quis episcopatum desiderat, bonum opus desiderat.

A faithful saying: if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

It is well said, When a man aspires to a bishopric, it is no mean employment that he covets.

Oportet ergo episcopum irreprehensibilem esse, unius uxoris virum, sobrium, prudentem, ornatum, pudicum, hospitalem, doctorem,

It behoveth therefore a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher,

The man who is to be a bishop, then, must be one with whom no fault can be found; faithful to one wife, sober, discreet, modest, well behaved, hospitable, experienced in teaching,

non vinolentum, non percussorem, sed modestum: non litigiosum, non cupidum, sed

Not given to wine, no striker, but modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, but

no lover of wine or of brawling, courteous, neither quarrelsome nor grasping.

suæ domui bene præpositum: filios habentem subditos cum omni castitate.

One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all chastity.

He must be one who is a good head to his own family, and keeps his children in order by winning their full respect;

Si quis autem domui suæ præesse nescit, quomodo ecclesiæ Dei diligentiam habebit?

But if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?

if a man has not learned how to manage his own household, will he know how to govern God’s church?

Non neophytum: ne in superbiam elatus, in judicium incidat diaboli.

Not a neophyte: lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the judgment of the devil.

He must not be a new convert, or he may be carried away by vanity, and incur Satan’s doom.

Oportet autem illum et testimonium habere bonum ab iis qui foris sunt, ut non in opprobrium incidat, et in laqueum diaboli.

Moreover he must have a good testimony of them who are without: lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

He must bear a good character, too, in the world’s eyes; or he may fall into disrepute, and become a prey to the False Accuser.

Diaconos similiter pudicos, non bilingues, non multo vino deditos, non turpe lucrum sectantes:

Deacons in like manner chaste, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre:

Deacons, in the same way, must be men of decent behaviour, men of their word, not given to deep drinking or to money-getting,

habentes mysterium fidei in conscientia pura.

Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.

keeping true, in all sincerity of conscience, to the faith that has been revealed.

Et hi autem probentur primum: et sic ministrent, nullum crimen habentes.

And let these also first be proved: and so let them minister, having no crime.

These, in their turn, must first undergo probation, and only be allowed to serve as deacons if no charge is brought against them.

Mulieres similiter pudicas, non detrahentes, sobrias, fideles in omnibus.

The women in like manner: chaste, not slanderers, but sober, faithful in all things.

The women-folk, too, should be modest, not fond of slanderous talk; they must be sober, and in every way worthy of trust.

Diaconi sint unius uxoris viri, qui filiis suis bene præsint, et suis domibus.

Let deacons be the husbands of one wife: who rule well their children, and their own houses.

The deacon must be faithful to one wife, good at looking after his own family and household.

Qui enim bene ministraverint, gradum bonum sibi acquirent, et multam fiduciam in fide, quæ est in Christo Jesu.

For they that have ministered well, shall purchase to themselves a good degree, and much confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Those who have served well in the diaconate will secure for themselves a sure footing, and great boldness in proclaiming that faith which is founded on Christ Jesus.

Hæc tibi scribo, sperans me ad te venire cito:

These things I write to thee, hoping that I shall come to thee shortly.

So much I tell thee by letter, although I hope to pay thee a visit before long;

si autem tardavero, ut scias quomodo oporteat te in domo Dei conversari, quæ est ecclesia Dei vivi, columna et firmamentum veritatis.

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.

so that, if I am slow in coming, thou mayest be in no doubt over the conduct that is expected of thee in God’s household. By that I mean the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation upon which the truth rests.

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.

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.

No question of it, it is a great mystery we worship. Revelation made in human nature, justification won in the realm of the Spirit; a vision seen by angels, a mystery preached to the Gentiles; Christ in this world, accepted by faith, Christ, on high, taken up into glory.