American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge;
if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly.
For the {Or, overseer}bishop must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, {Or, not quarrelsome over wine.}no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;
but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled;
holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the {Greek: healthful.}sound {Or, teaching}doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers.
And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.
Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you {Or, overseers}bishops, to feed the church of {Some ancient authorities, including the two oldest manuscripts read God.}the Lord which he {Greek: acquired.}purchased with his own blood.
which also they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.
Is any among you sick? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, {Or, having anointed}anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
The elders therefore among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
Tend the flock of God which is among you, {Some ancient authorities omit exercising the oversight.}exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, {Some ancient authorities omit according to the will of God.}according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with {Greek: singleness.}liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then {Greek: powers.}miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, {Or, wise counsels}governments, divers kinds of tongues.
But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
Remember them that had the rule over you, men that spake unto you the word of God; and considering the issue of their {Greek: manner of life.}life, imitate their faith.
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with {Greek: groaning.}grief: for this were unprofitable for you.
Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. {Or, The breathen from &c.}They of Italy salute you.
(but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.
Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt gather unto thee into the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household.
Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a {Or, kid}lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household:
But I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
And Jehovah said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
{Some connect the words Faithful is the saying with the preceding paragraph.}Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a {Or, overseer}bishop, he desireth a good work.
The {Or, overseer}bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
{Or, not quarrelsome over wine}no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;
one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
(but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.