¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, ^(A)“All authority ^(B)in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ^19 (C)Go therefore and ^(D)make disciples of ^(E)all nations, ^(F)baptizing them ^(G)in^{[a] (H)}the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them ^(I)to observe all that ^(J)I have commanded you. And behold, ^(K)I am with you always, to ^(L)the end of the age.”

^3 (A)Therefore, brothers,^[a] pick out from among you seven men ^(B)of good repute, ^(C)full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ⁴ But ^(D)we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

^28 (A)Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all ^(B)the flock, in which ^(C)the Holy Spirit has made you ^(D)overseers, ^(E)to care for ^(F)the church of God,^[a] which he ^(G)obtained ^(H)with his own blood.^{[b] 29} I ^(I)know that after my departure ^(J)fierce wolves will come in among you, ^(K)not sparing the flock; ³⁰ and ^(L)from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore ^(M)be alert, remembering that ^(N)for three years I did not cease night or day ^(O)to admonish every one ^(P)with tears.

¹⁴ I do not write these things ^(A)to make you ashamed, but to admonish you ^(B)as my beloved children. ¹⁵ For ^(C)though you have countless^[a] guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For ^(D)I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ¹⁶ I urge you, then, ^(E)be imitators of me.

² Therefore ^(A)an overseer^[a] must be above reproach, ^(B)the husband of one wife,^{[b] (C)}sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, ^(D)hospitable, ^(E)able to teach,

¹⁷ Let the elders ^(A)who rule well be considered worthy of ^(B)double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

⁷ Remember ^(A)your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and ^(B)imitate their faith.

¹⁷ Obey ^(A)your leaders and submit to them, ^(B)for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to ^(C)give an account. ^(D)Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Shepherd the Flock of God

5 So I exhort the elders among you, ^(A)as a fellow elder and ^(B)a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: ^2 (C)shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,^{[a] (D)}not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;^{[b] (E)}not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ³ not ^(F)domineering over those in your charge, but ^(G)being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when ^(H)the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the ^(I)unfading ^(J)crown of glory.