Qualifications for Elders

^5 (A)This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and ^(B)appoint elders in every town as I directed you— ^6 (C)if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,^[a] and his children are believers^[b] and not open to the charge of ^(D)debauchery or insubordination. ⁷ For an overseer,^{[c] (E)}as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not ^(F)be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent ^(G)or greedy for gain, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, ^(H)and disciplined. ⁹ He must ^(I)hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in ^(J)sound^[d] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

¹⁰ For there are many who are insubordinate, ^(K)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of ^(L)the circumcision party.^{[e] 11} They must be silenced, since ^(M)they are upsetting whole families by teaching ^(N)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

³ for you are still of the flesh. For while there is ^(A)jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? ⁴ For ^(B)when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” ^(C)are you not being merely human?

⁵ What then is Apollos? What is Paul? ^(D)Servants through whom you believed, ^(E)as the Lord assigned to each. ^6 (F)I planted, ^(G)Apollos watered, ^(H)but God gave the growth. ⁷ So ^(I)neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸ He who plants and he who waters are one, and each ^(J)will receive his wages according to his labor. ⁹ For we are ^(K)God's fellow workers. You are God's field, ^(L)God's building.

^10 (M)According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled^[a] master builder I laid a ^(N)foundation, and ^(O)someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. ¹¹ For no one can lay a ^(P)foundation other ^(Q)than that which is laid, ^(R)which is Jesus Christ.

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.”

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 You then, ^(A)my child, ^(B)be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, ² and ^(C)what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses ^(D)entrust to faithful men,^{[a] (E)}who will be able to teach others also. ^3 (F)Share in suffering as ^(G)a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Book Five

Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

¹⁰ And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now ^(A)the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers^[a] has been thrown down, ^(B)who accuses them day and night before our God. ¹¹ And ^(C)they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for ^(D)they loved not their lives ^(E)even unto death. ¹² Therefore, ^(F)rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But ^(G)woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because ^(H)he knows that his time is short!”