^2 (A)Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, ^(B)not by compulsion but ^[a]willingly, ^(C)not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

⁷ For a ^[a]bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, ^(A)not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,

Qualifications of Deacons

⁸ Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, ^(A)not given to much wine, not greedy for money,

²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am ^(A)innocent^[a] of the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I have not ^[b]shunned to declare to you ^(B)the whole counsel of God. ^28 (C)Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit ^(D)has made you overseers, to shepherd the church ^[c]of God ^(E)which He purchased ^(F)with His own blood.

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

3 Remind them ^(A)to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, ^(B)to be ready for every good work,

³ not ^[a]given to wine, not violent, ^[b]not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not ^[c]covetous;

⁷ Who ever ^(A)goes to war at his own expense? Who ^(B)plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who ^(C)tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?

³ By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction ^[a]does not slumber.

¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone ^(A)fall short of the grace of God; lest any ^(B)root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;