23 When (A)they had appointed (B)elders for them in every church, having (C)prayed with fasting, they (D)entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Read full chapter

And after Paul and Barnabas had [a]a heated argument and (A)debate with them, (B)the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the (C)apostles and elders concerning this issue.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:2 Lit no little

When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, (A)the apostles, and the elders, and they (B)reported all that God had done with them.

Read full chapter

(A)The apostles and the elders came together to [a]look into this [b]matter.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:6 Lit see about
  2. Acts 15:6 Lit word

22 Then it seemed good to (A)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to (B)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and (C)Silas, leading men among (D)the brothers, 23 and they [a]sent this letter with them:

(E)The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to (F)the brothers and sisters in (G)Antioch, (H)Syria, and (I)Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: (J)Greetings.

24 Since we have heard that (K)some [b]of our number to whom we gave no instruction have (L)confused you by their [c]teaching, upsetting your souls, 25 (M)it seemed good to us, having [d]become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have [e](N)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore, we have sent (O)Judas and (P)Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For (Q)it seemed good to (R)the Holy Spirit and to (S)us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from (T)things sacrificed to idols, from (U)blood, from (V)things strangled, and from (W)acts of sexual immorality; [f]if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

30 So when they were sent away, (X)they went down to Antioch; and after gathering the [g]congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its [h]encouragement. 32 (Y)Judas and (Z)Silas, also being (AA)prophets themselves, [i]encouraged and strengthened (AB)the brothers and sisters with a lengthy message. 33 After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brothers and sisters (AC)in peace to those who had (AD)sent them out.[j] 35 But (AE)Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and (AF)preaching (AG)the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Second Missionary Journey

36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in (AH)every city in which we proclaimed (AI)the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take (AJ)John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul was of the opinion that they should not take along with them this man who had (AK)deserted them [k]in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Now it turned into such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took (AL)Mark with him and sailed away to (AM)Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose (AN)Silas, and left after being (AO)entrusted by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he was traveling through (AP)Syria and (AQ)Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:23 Lit wrote by their hand
  2. Acts 15:24 Lit from us
  3. Acts 15:24 Lit words
  4. Acts 15:25 Or met together
  5. Acts 15:26 Lit given over
  6. Acts 15:29 Lit from which keeping yourselves free
  7. Acts 15:30 Or multitude
  8. Acts 15:31 Or exhortation
  9. Acts 15:32 Or exhorted
  10. Acts 15:33 Late mss add as v 34: But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.
  11. Acts 15:38 Lit from

Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering (A)the ordinances for them to follow which had been determined by (B)the apostles and (C)elders in Jerusalem.

Read full chapter

Farewell to Ephesus

17 From Miletus he sent word to (A)Ephesus and called to himself (B)the elders of the church.

Read full chapter

18 And the following day Paul went in with us to [a](A)James, and all (B)the elders were present.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:18 Or Jacob

Concerning Elders

17 (A)The elders who (B)lead well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who (C)work hard [a]at preaching and teaching.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 5:17 Lit in word

19 Do not accept an accusation against an (A)elder except on the basis of (B)two or three witnesses.

Read full chapter

Qualifications of Elders

For this reason I left you in (A)Crete, that you would set in order what remains and (B)appoint (C)elders in every city as I directed you,

Read full chapter

14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for (A)the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, [a](B)anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. James 5:14 Lit having anointed

Serve God Willingly

(A)Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your (B)fellow elder and a (C)witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a [a](D)fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed:

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 5:1 Or partner in

Walk According to His Commandments

(A)The elder to the (B)chosen (C)lady and her children, whom I (D)love in truth; and not only I, but also all who (E)know the truth, (F)because of the truth which remains (G)in us and will be (H)with us forever: (I)Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

(J)I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received a commandment to do from the Father. Now I ask you, lady, (K)not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had (L)from the beginning, that we (M)love one another. And (N)this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, (O)just as you have heard (P)from the beginning, that you are to walk in it.

For (Q)many deceivers have (R)gone out into the world, those who (S)do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is (T)the deceiver and the (U)antichrist. (V)Watch yourselves, (W)that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. [a]Anyone who [b]goes too far and (X)does not remain in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, (Y)do not receive him into your house, and do not [c]give him a greeting; 11 for the one who [d]gives him a greeting [e](Z)participates in his evil deeds.

12 (AA)Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak [f]face to face, so that [g]your (AB)joy may be made complete.

13 The children of your (AC)chosen sister greet you.

A Good Report

(AD)The elder to the beloved (AE)Gaius, whom I (AF)love in truth.

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I (AG)was overjoyed when (AH)brothers came and testified to your truth, that is, how you (AI)are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than [h]this, to hear of (AJ)my children (AK)walking in the truth.

Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the (AL)brothers and sisters, and [i]especially when they are (AM)strangers; and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to [j](AN)send them on their way in a manner (AO)worthy of God. For they went out for the sake of (AP)the Name, (AQ)accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to [k]support such people, so that we may [l]prove to be fellow workers [m]with the truth.

I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to (AR)be first among them, does not accept [n]what we say. 10 For this reason, (AS)if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with malicious words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not (AT)receive the (AU)brothers either, and he forbids those who want to do so and (AV)puts them out of the church.

11 Beloved, (AW)do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. (AX)The one who does what is good is of God; (AY)the one who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius (AZ)has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we testify too, and (BA)you know that our testimony is true.

13 (BB)I had many things to write to you, but I do not want to write to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak [o]face to face.

15 (BC)Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends (BD)by name.

Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:9 Lit Everyone
  2. 2 John 1:9 Lit goes on ahead
  3. 2 John 1:10 Lit say to him
  4. 2 John 1:11 Lit says to him
  5. 2 John 1:11 I.e., shares responsibility for them
  6. 2 John 1:12 Lit mouth to mouth
  7. 2 John 1:12 One early ms our
  8. 3 John 1:4 Lit these things, that I hear
  9. 3 John 1:5 Lit this
  10. 3 John 1:6 I.e., give them whatever they might need for the journey
  11. 3 John 1:8 Or receive as guests
  12. 3 John 1:8 Or become fellow
  13. 3 John 1:8 Or for
  14. 3 John 1:9 Lit us
  15. 3 John 1:14 Lit mouth to mouth

Bible Gateway Recommends