³ Therefore, brothers and sisters, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task,^(A)

⁷ Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.^(A)

Qualifications of Deacons

⁸ Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money;^{(B) 9} they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons. ¹¹ Women^[a] likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. ¹² Let deacons be married only once,^[b] and let them manage their children and their households well; ¹³ for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Our Religion

¹⁴ I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, ¹⁵ if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.^(C)

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.^{(A) 18} And the fruit of righteousness^[a] is sown in peace by those who make peace.^(B)

¹³ Choose for each of your tribes individuals who are wise, discerning, and reputable, and I will make them your leaders.’^(A)

¹⁰ she must be well attested for her good works, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way.^(A)

² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”^{(A) 3} Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.^(B)

¹⁸ So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him;^{(A) 19} have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation and commission him in their sight.^(B)

¹² Everyone has testified favorably about Demetrius, and so has the truth^[a] itself. We also testify for him,^[b] and you know that our testimony is true.^(A)

The Seventy Elders

¹⁶ So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting and have them take their place there with you.^{(A) 17} I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people along with you so that you will not bear it all by yourself.^{(B) 18} And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wailed in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “If only we had meat to eat! Surely it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat.^{(C) 19} You shall eat not only one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days,^{(D) 20} but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you—because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” ’ ” ²¹ But Moses said, “The people I am with number six hundred thousand on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month’! ²² Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them? Are there enough fish in the sea to catch for them?”^{(E) 23} The Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s power limited?^[a] Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”^(F)

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy of the elders of the people and placed them all around the tent.^{(G) 25} Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders, and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.^(H)