⁸ Therefore He says:

^9 (B)(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also ^[a]first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One ^(C)who ascended far above all the heavens, ^(D)that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, ^(E)for the ^[b]edifying of ^(F)the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith ^(G)and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to ^(H)a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be ^(I)children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of ^(J)deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the ^(K)head—Christ— ^16 (L)from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Honor the Elders

¹⁷ Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. ¹⁸ For the Scripture says, ^(A)“You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, ^(B)“The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

^28 (A)Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit ^(B)has made you overseers, to shepherd the church ^[a]of God ^(C)which He purchased ^(D)with His own blood. ²⁹ For I know this, that after my departure ^(E)savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Also ^(F)from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking ^[b]perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. ³¹ Therefore watch, and remember that ^(G)for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

³² “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and ^(H)to the word of His grace, which is able ^(I)to build you up and give you ^(J)an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Shepherd the Flock

5 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a ^(A)witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the ^(B)glory that will be revealed: ^2 (C)Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, ^(D)not by compulsion but ^[a]willingly, ^(E)not for dishonest gain but eagerly; ³ nor as ^(F)being ^[b]lords over ^(G)those entrusted to you, but ^(H)being examples to the flock;