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Tending the Flock of God

Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you(A)

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for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.(A) When Christ who is your[a] life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.4 Other authorities read our

17 and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we in fact suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.(A)

Future Glory

18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.

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48 You are witnesses[a] of these things.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 24.48 Or nations. Beginning from Jerusalem you are witnesses

A Vision of Christ

I, John, your brother who share with you the persecution and the kingdom and the endurance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.9 Or testimony to Jesus

Salutation

The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth,(A) because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from[a] Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love.(B)

Truth and Love

I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. But now, dear lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment but one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another.(C) And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning—you must walk in it.(D)

Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist!(E) Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we[b] have worked for but may receive a full reward.(F) Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it,[c] does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching[d] has both the Father and the Son.(G) 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive and welcome this person into your house,(H) 11 for to welcome is to participate in the evil deeds of such a person.(I)

Final Greetings

12 Although I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink; instead, I hope to come to you and talk with you face to face, so that our[e] joy may be complete.(J)

13 The children of your elect sister send you their greetings.[f]

Salutation

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

Gaius Commended for His Hospitality

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. For I was overjoyed when some brothers and sisters arrived and testified to your faithfulness to the truth, how you walk in the truth.(K) I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.(L)

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you;(M) they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on in a manner worthy of God,(N) for they began their journey for the sake of Christ,[g] accepting no support from nonbelievers.[h](O) Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we may become coworkers with the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not welcome us. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing in spreading false charges against us. And not content with those charges, he refuses to welcome the brothers and sisters and even prevents those who want to do so and expels them from the church.(P)

11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.(Q) 12 Everyone has testified favorably about Demetrius, and so has the truth[i] itself. We also testify for him,[j] and you know that our testimony is true.(R)

Final Greetings

13 I have much to write to you, but I would rather not write to you with pen and ink;(S) 14 instead, I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.

15 Peace to you. The friends send you their greetings. Greet the friends there, each by name.(T)

Footnotes

  1. 3 Other ancient authorities add the Lord
  2. 8 Other ancient authorities read you
  3. 9 Other ancient authorities read turns aside
  4. 9 Other ancient authorities add of Christ
  5. 12 Other ancient authorities read your
  6. 13 Other ancient authorities add Amen
  7. 7 Gk for the sake of the name
  8. 7 Gk the gentiles
  9. 12 Other ancient authorities read church or church and truth
  10. 12 Gk lacks for him

And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away.(A)

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24 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me with honor.[a](A)
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 73.24 Or to glory

Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he[a] is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.2 Or it

so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.(A)

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The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers and sisters of gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.

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30 this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.(A)

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12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look!(A)

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A Living Hope

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead(A) and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.(B)

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yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 9 Or as an ambassador of Christ Jesus, and now also his prisoner

Titus in Crete

I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you:(A)

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From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.(A)

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19 Never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

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Duties toward Believers

Do not speak harshly to an older man,[a] but speak to him as to a father, to younger men as brothers,(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 5.1 Or an elder or a presbyter

21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me, yet I cannot say which I will choose. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better,(A)

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19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my salvation.(A)

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For we know that, if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.(A)

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18 The next day Paul went with us to visit James, and all the elders were present.(A)

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28 Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God[a] that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.[b](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 20.28 Other ancient authorities read of the Lord
  2. 20.28 Or with his own blood; Gk with the blood of his Own

Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders

17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him.(A)

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