Book of Common Prayer

3 These are true words. If a man wants to be a leader of the church people, he seeks a good thing.

² For a man to be a church leader, people must speak well of him. He must have only one wife. He must be able to control himself. He must use good sense. He must behave himself well. He must be kind to strangers in his house. He must be a good teacher.

³ He must not get drunk. He must not fight. But he must be kind. He must not quarrel. He must not love money.

⁴ He must be a good leader for his own family. His children must obey him and respect him.

⁵ If a man does not know how to lead his own family, how can he take care of the church of God?

⁶ A church leader must not be a new believer. If he were a new believer, he might become proud and set himself up like the devil did.

⁷ People who are not church people must also speak well of a church leader, so that he will not fall into the devil's trap.

⁸ In the same way, the leader's helpers must be men whom people respect. They must not say one thing one time and something different another time. They must not drink too much wine. They must not try to get rich in wrong ways.

⁹ They must know God's plan and what we believe. They must do only what they know is right.

¹⁰ Try these men first. Then let them help the church people if they have done nothing wrong.

¹¹ In the same way, their wives must be women whom people respect. They must not tell lies about anyone. They must be able to control themselves. They must live so that people can trust them in all things.

¹² The leader's helpers must have only one wife. They must be good leaders for their children and family.

¹³ When they have done the work of a helper well, people will respect them. If they do well, they will not fear to tell what they believe about Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ I am writing to you about these matters even though I hope to come to you soon.

¹⁵ Then if I do not come right away, you will know what people should do in God's family. This family is the church of the living God. The church people hold what is true and keeps it strong.

¹⁶ God's plan is very great as we all know. Here it is: we saw God as a man; God's Spirit proved he was right; angels saw him; the nations were told about him; people of the world believed in him; God took him up into heaven.

¹⁸ He went on to say, `What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I say it is like?

¹⁹ It is like this. A man took a mustard seed and planted it in his field. It grew up big like a tree. The birds came and lived in its branches.'

²⁰ Then Jesus said again, `What else is the kingdom of God like?

²¹ It is like this. A woman took yeast and mixed it with many cups of flour. The yeast went all through the flour.'

²² Jesus went through the towns and villages on the way to Jerusalem. He was teaching the people as he went.

²³ A man asked him, `Sir, will only a few people be saved?'

²⁴ Jesus answered, `Try hard to go in by the small gate. I tell you, many will want to go in but they will not be able.

²⁵ The master of the house will get up and lock the door. Then you will be standing outside. You will begin to knock on the door and call, "Sir, open the door for us!" But he will answer, "I do not know where you belong."

²⁶ Then you will say, "We ate and drank with you. You taught in our streets."

²⁷ But he will say, "I tell you, I do not know where you belong. Go away from me all you who do wrong! "

²⁸ `You will see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God. And you will see yourselves thrown out. Then you will cry and make a noise with your teeth.

²⁹ People will come from the east, from the west, from the north, and from the south. They will sit down to eat in the kingdom of God.

³⁰ Yes, some people who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.'