<t /><p class="bodytext">This saying<n id="1" /> is trustworthy: &#8220;If someone aspires to the office of overseer,<n id="2" /> he desires a good work.&#8221;

They will demolish you<n id="1" /> &#8211; you and your children within your walls<n id="2" /> &#8211; and they will not leave within you one stone<n id="3" /> on top of another,<n id="4" /> because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

&#8220;For it is written in the book of Psalms, &#8216;<b><i>Let his house become deserted,i>b><n id="1" /> <b><i>and let there be no one to live in iti>b>,&#8217;<n id="2" /> and &#8216;<b><i>Let another take his position of responsibilityi>b>.&#8217;<n id="3" />

and maintain good conduct<n id="1" /> among the non-Christians,<n id="2" /> so that though<n id="3" /> they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.<n id="4" />p>