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I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us.

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I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us.

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A church leader[a] is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker,[b] violent, or dishonest with money.

Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

10 For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. 11 They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money. 12 Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.”[c] 13 This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith. 14 They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth.

15 Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:7a Or An overseer, or A bishop.
  2. 1:7b Greek must not drink too much wine.
  3. 1:12 This quotation is from Epimenides of Knossos.

Since an overseer(A) manages God’s household,(B) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.(C) Rather, he must be hospitable,(D) one who loves what is good,(E) who is self-controlled,(F) upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly(G) to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine(H) and refute those who oppose it.

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk(I) and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.(J) 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households(K) by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets(L) has said it: “Cretans(M) are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”[a] 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke(N) them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith(O) 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths(P) or to the merely human commands(Q) of those who reject the truth.(R) 15 To the pure, all things are pure,(S) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.(T) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.(U) 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.(V) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.(W)

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Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:12 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides

24 Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

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24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.(A) 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,(B) and the one who rules like the one who serves.(C) 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.(D)

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48 Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf[a] welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”

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Footnotes

  1. 9:48 Greek in my name.

48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(A) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”(B)

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34 But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.

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34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.(A)

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They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.[a] And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’[b]

“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. 23:5 Greek They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
  2. 23:7 Rabbi, from Aramaic, means “master” or “teacher.”
  3. 23:8 Greek brothers.

They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.(A)

“Everything they do is done for people to see:(B) They make their phylacteries[a](C) wide and the tassels on their garments(D) long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;(E) they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.(F)

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm

40 “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. 41 If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God,[a] you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs. 42 And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

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Footnotes

  1. 10:41 Greek receive a prophet in the name of a prophet.

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,(A) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(B) 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”(C)

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So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.

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We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

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Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

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Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.(A) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,(B) not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.(C)

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:(D)

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10 Love each other with genuine affection,[a] and take delight in honoring each other.

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Footnotes

  1. 12:10 Greek with brotherly love.

10 Be devoted to one another in love.(A) Honor one another above yourselves.(B)

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Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”

36 “What is your request?” he asked.

37 They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

39 “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. 40 But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

41 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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The Request of James and John(A)

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”(B)

38 “You don’t know what you are asking,”(C) Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup(D) I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”(E)

39 “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,(F) 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(G) 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,(H) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(I)

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37 “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf[a] welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

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Footnotes

  1. 9:37 Greek in my name.

37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”(A)

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Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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A Mother’s Request(A)

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons(B) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,(C) asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”(D)

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup(E) I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,(F) but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant(G) with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(H) 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man(I) did not come to be served, but to serve,(J) and to give his life as a ransom(K) for many.”

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