²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient,^(A)

² to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone.^(A)

Hearing and Doing the Word

¹⁹ You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,^{(A) 20} for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.^[a]

² Now a bishop^[a] must be above reproach, married only once,^[b] temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher,^{(A) 3} not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money.^(B)

⁷ For a bishop,^[a] as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain,^(A)

The Good Fight of Faith

¹¹ But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness.

⁷ though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle^[a] among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children.

¹³ Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord^[a] has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

¹⁴ Do all things without murmuring and arguing,^(A)

Suffering for Doing Right

⁸ Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.^(A)