Diotrephes and Demetrius

⁹ I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

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, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, ⁹ holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

The Elders’ Task

¹⁰ For there are many insubordinate, both idle ^(B)talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, ^(C)for the sake of dishonest gain. ^12 (D)One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” ¹³ This testimony is true. ^(E)Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not giving heed to Jewish fables and ^(F)commandments of men who turn from the truth. ^15 (G)To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess to ^(H)know God, but ^(I)in works they deny Him, being ^[b]abominable, disobedient, ^(J)and disqualified for every good work.

The Disciples Argue About Greatness

^24 (A)Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. ^25 (B)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ ^26 (C)But not so among you; on the contrary, ^(D)he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. ^27 (E)For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet ^(F)I am among you as the One who serves.

⁴⁸ and said to them, ^(A)“Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and ^(B)whoever receives Me ^(C)receives Him who sent Me. ^(D)For he who is least among you all will be great.”

³⁴ But they kept silent, for on the road they had ^(A)disputed among themselves who would be the ^(B)greatest.

^4 (A)For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. ⁵ But all their works they do to ^(B)be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. ^6 (C)They love the ^[a]best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, ⁷ greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ ^8 (D)But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your ^[b]Teacher, ^[c]the Christ, and you are all brethren.

A Cup of Cold Water^(A)

^40 (B)“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. ^41 (C)He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. ^42 (D)And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

⁸ We therefore ought to ^(A)receive^[a] such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

^3 (A)Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but ^(B)in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ^4 (C)Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of ^(D)others.

The Humbled and Exalted Christ

^5 (E)Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,