GENEVA BIBLE 1599
The Bible of the Pilgrims who founded America and also the Bible of the Reformation.
http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html
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1 This (1) is a true saying, (2) (*) If any man (a) (♣) desire the office of a (♠) Bishop, he desireth (♦) a worthy work.
(1) Having dispatched the treatise, as well of doctrine and of the
manner of handling of it, as also of public prayer, he now in the third
place cometh to the persons themselves, speaking first of Pastors, and
afterwards of Deacons, and he useth a preface, that the Church may know
that these be certain and sure rulers.
(2) A Bishoprick or the ministry of the word is not an idle dignity, but
a work, and that an excellent work; and therefore a Bishop must be
furnished with many virtues both at home and abroad. Wherefore it is
requisite before he be chosen, to examine well his learning, his gifts,
and ableness, and his life.
(*) Titus 2:6 .
(a) He speaketh not here of ambitious seeking, then the which there
cannot be a worse fault in the Church, but generally of the mind, and
disposition of man, framed and disposed to help and edify the Church of
God, when and wheresoever it shall please the Lord.
(♣) With a fervent zeal to profit the Church of God, wheresoever he shall call him.
(♠) Whether he be Pastor or Elder.
(♦) Both for the difficulty of the charge and also the excellency thereof and the necessity of the same.
2 (*) A Bishop therefore must be unreproveable, the husband of (♣) one (b) wife, watching, sober, modest, harberous, apt to teach,
(*) Titus 2:6 .
(♣) For in those countries at that time some men had more than one, which was a sign of incontinency.
(b) Therefore he that shutteth out married men from the office of Bishops, only because they are married, is Antichrist.
3 Not (c) given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, no fighter, not covetous,
(c) A common tippler, and one that will sit by it.
4 One that can rule his own house honestly, having children under obedience with all (*) honesty.
(*) Or, reverence.
5 For if any cannot rule his own house, how shall he (*) care for the Church of God?
(*) If it be requisite that a man should take care in governing his own house, how much more are they bound to be careful which shall govern the Church of God?
6 He may not be a young (*) scholar, lest he being puffed up fall into the (d) (♣) condemnation of the devil.
(*) In the doctrine of faith.
(d) Lest by reason that he is advanced to that degree, he takes occasion to be proud, which will undo him, and so he fall into the same condemnation that the devil himself is fallen into.
(♣) Lest being proud of his degree he be likewise condemned as the devil was for lifting up himself by pride.
7 He must also be well reported of, even of them which are (*) without, lest he fall into (♣) rebuke, and the snare of the devil.
(*) That is, no man may have anything justly to lay to his charge.
(♣) As being defamed, should become impudent, and do much harm.
8 (3) Likewise must (e) Deacons be (*) grave, not double tongued, not given unto much wine, neither to filthy lucre,
(3) Likewise the Deacons must first be proved that there may be a good
trial of their honesty, truth, sobriety, mind, void of covetousness,
that they are well instructed in the doctrine of faith, and to be short,
of their good conscience and integrity.
(e) These are they that had to see to the poor.
(*) Or, honest, dignified, honorable.
9 (*) (♣) Having the (f) mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
(*) 1 Timothy 1:19 .
(♣) Having the true doctrine of the Gospel, and the fear of God.
(f) The doctrine of the Gospel, which is a mystery indeed; for flesh and blood do not reveal it.
10 And let them first be proved; then let them minister, if they be found blameless.
11 (4) Likewise their (*) wives must be honest, not evil speakers, but sober, and faithful in all things.
(4) Regard must be had also to the Pastor's and Deacon's wives.
(*) Or the Bishops and Deacons.
12 (5) Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, and such as can rule their children well, and their own households.
(5) They that have more wives than on at one time, must neither by called to be ministers, nor to be Deacons.
13 For they that have ministered well, get themselves a (*) good (g) degree, and (h) great (♣) liberty in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
(*) The good report of all men.
(g) Honor and estimation.
(h) Bold and assured confidence without fear.
(♣) To serve God with greater assurance, because they have always a good conscience.
14 (6) These things write I unto thee, trusting to come very shortly unto thee.
(6) Paul purposing to add many peculiar things pertaining to the daily office of a Pastor, speaketh first a word or two concerning his coming to Timothy, that he would be so much the more careful, lest at his coming he might be reproved of negligence.
15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest yet know, how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the (7) house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the (i) (*) pillar and ground of truth.
(7) The Pastor hath always to think, how that he is occupied in the
house of the living God, wherein the treasure of the truth is kept.
(i) To wit, in respect of men; for the Church resteth upon that
cornerstone, Christ, and is the preserver of the truth, but not the
mother.
(*) This is spoken in respect of men, for as much as in this world the truth only remaineth in the Church, by reason of God’s word; for otherwise Christ is the foundation, and the cornerstone, which both beareth and maintaineth his Church.
16 (8) And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, (k) (*) justified in the Spirit, (♣) seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up in (♠) glory.
(8) There is nothing more excellent than this truth, whereof the Church
is the keeper and preserver here amongst men, the ministry of the word
being appointed to that end and purpose; for it teacheth us the greatest
matters that may be thought of, to wit, that God is become visible in
the person of Christ by taking our nature upon him, whose Majesty,
notwithstanding in so great weakness was manifested many ways, in so
much that the sight of it pierced the very Angels; and to conclude, he
being preached unto the Gentiles was received of them, and is now placed
above in glory unspeakable.
(k) The power of the Godhead sheweth itself so marvelously in that weak
flesh of Christ, that though he were a weak man, yet all the world
knoweth he was, and is God.
(*) Approved just in that he was not only a man, but God.
(♣) So that the Angels marveled at his excellency.
(♠) To the right hand of God the Father.
1 Corinthians 14:8
And also if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle?
"Let not Geneva be forgotten or despised. Religious liberty owes it most respect." John Adams, the second president of the United States
Before, and many years after the KJV was printed, the GENEVA BIBLE was the People's Choice, but an ungodly King made it illegal to publish it any longer: http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html Click on "Geneva Bible History" on my site.
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