¹⁰ They must first be tested;^(A) and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

²² Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands,^(A) and do not share in the sins of others.^(B) Keep yourself pure.^(C)

¹³ Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

⁶ An elder must be blameless,^(A) faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe^[a] and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. ⁷ Since an overseer^(B) manages God’s household,^(C) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.^(D)

⁶ He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited^(A) and fall under the same judgment^(B) as the devil.

² Now the overseer is to be above reproach,^(A) faithful to his wife,^(B) temperate,^(C) self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,^(D) able to teach,^(E)

⁸ He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless^(A) on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.^(B)

The Choosing of the Seven

6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing,^(A) the Hellenistic Jews^[a](B) among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows^(C) were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.^{(D) 2} So the Twelve gathered all the disciples^(E) together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God^(F) in order to wait on tables.

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,^(A) do not believe every spirit,^(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^(C)