¹⁸ You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. ^(A)You are not able to do it alone.

^14 (A)I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. ¹⁵ If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

Elders Appointed to Aid Moses

¹⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me ^(B)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and ^(C)officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. ^17 (D)And I will come down and talk with you there. And ^(E)I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and ^(F)they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

Seven Chosen to Serve

6 Now in these days ^(A)when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists^[a] arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in ^(B)the daily distribution. ² And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. ^3 (C)Therefore, brothers,^[b] pick out from among you seven men ^(D)of good repute, ^(E)full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ⁴ But ^(F)we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

⁸ So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God ^(A)but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

⁹ For you remember, brothers, ^(B)our labor and toil: we ^(C)worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

³⁰ for he nearly died^{[a] (A)}for the work of Christ, risking his life ^(B)to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

^15 (A)I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If ^(B)I love you more, am I to be loved less?

Leaders Appointed

⁹ “At that time ^(A)I said to you, ‘I am not able to bear you by myself. ¹⁰ The Lord your God has multiplied you, and behold, ^(B)you are today as numerous as the stars of heaven. ^11 (C)May the Lord, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you, ^(D)as he has promised you! ^12 (E)How can I bear by myself the weight and burden of you and your strife?