²⁸ Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock^(A) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.^(B) Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a](C) which he bought^(D) with his own blood.^{[b](E) 29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves^(F) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.^{(G) 30} Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(H) after them. ³¹ So be on your guard! Remember that for three years^(I) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.^(J)

The Choosing of the Seven

6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing,^(A) the Hellenistic Jews^[a](B) among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows^(C) were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.^{(D) 2} So the Twelve gathered all the disciples^(E) together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God^(F) in order to wait on tables. ³ Brothers and sisters,^(G) choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit^(H) and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them^{(I) 4} and will give our attention to prayer^(J) and the ministry of the word.”

⁵ This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen,^(K) a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;^(L) also Philip,^(M) Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. ⁶ They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed^(N) and laid their hands on them.^(O)

⁷ So the word of God spread.^(P) The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly,^(Q) and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

⁷ But to each one of us^(A) grace^(B) has been given^(C) as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it^[a] says:

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[c]? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended^(F) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)^{(G) 11} So Christ himself gave^(H) the apostles,^(I) the prophets,^(J) the evangelists,^(K) the pastors and teachers,^{(L) 12} to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(M) may be built up^{(N) 13} until we all reach unity^(O) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^(P) and become mature,^(Q) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^(R)

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants,^(S) tossed back and forth by the waves,^(T) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^{(U) 15} Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(V) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(W) that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(X) and builds itself up^(Y) in love,^(Z) as each part does its work.