21 Moreover you shall select from all the people (A)able men, such as (B)fear God, (C)men of truth, (D)hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

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21 But select capable men(A) from all the people—men who fear(B) God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain(C)—and appoint them as officials(D) over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

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But the Lord said to Samuel, (A)“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have [a]refused him. (B)For[b] the Lord does not see as man sees; for man (C)looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the (D)heart.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 16:7 rejected
  2. 1 Samuel 16:7 LXX For God does not see as man sees; Tg. It is not by the appearance of a man; Vg. Nor do I judge according to the looks of a man

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,(A) but the Lord looks at the heart.”(B)

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70 (A)He also chose David His servant,
And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From following (B)the ewes that had young He brought him,
(C)To shepherd Jacob His people,
And Israel His inheritance.
72 So he shepherded them according to the (D)integrity of his heart,
And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

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70 He chose David(A) his servant
    and took him from the sheep pens;
71 from tending the sheep(B) he brought him
    to be the shepherd(C) of his people Jacob,
    of Israel his inheritance.
72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;(D)
    with skillful hands he led them.

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34 Righteousness exalts a (A)nation,
But sin is a [a]reproach to any people.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:34 shame or disgrace

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,(A)
    but sin condemns any people.

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28 (A)Mercy and truth preserve the king,
And by [a]lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:28 mercy

28 Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
    through love(A) his throne is made secure.(B)

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When the righteous [a]are in authority, the (A)people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, (B)the people groan.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:2 become great

When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;(A)
    when the wicked rule,(B) the people groan.(C)

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(A)Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are [a]appointed to die.
Open your mouth, (B)judge righteously,
And (C)plead the cause of the poor and needy.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away

Speak(A) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.(B)

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42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, (A)“You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 (B)Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even (C)the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and (D)to give His life a ransom for many.”

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42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(A) 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,(B) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(C)

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25 (A)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ 26 (B)But not so among you; on the contrary, (C)he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.

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25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,(A) and the one who rules like the one who serves.(B)

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Submit to Government

13 Let every soul be (A)subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists (B)the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will [a]bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? (C)Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 13:2 Lit. receive

Submission to Governing Authorities

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,(A) for there is no authority except that which God has established.(B) The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,(C) and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.(D) For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.(E)

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(A)for kings and (B)all who are in [a]authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and [b]reverence.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 2:2 a prominent place
  2. 1 Timothy 2:2 dignity

for kings and all those in authority,(A) that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness(B) and holiness.

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Qualifications of Overseers

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a [a]bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not [b]given to wine, not violent, [c]not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not [d]covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 3:1 Lit. overseer
  2. 1 Timothy 3:3 addicted
  3. 1 Timothy 3:3 NU omits not greedy for money
  4. 1 Timothy 3:3 loving money

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

Here is a trustworthy saying:(A) Whoever aspires to be an overseer(B) desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach,(C) faithful to his wife,(D) temperate,(E) self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,(F) able to teach,(G) not given to drunkenness,(H) not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome,(I) not a lover of money.(J) He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 3:4 Or him with proper

Take Heed to Your Ministry

12 Let no one [a]despise your youth, but be an (A)example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, [b]in spirit, in faith, in purity.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 4:12 look down on your youthfulness
  2. 1 Timothy 4:12 NU omits in spirit

12 Don’t let anyone look down on you(A) because you are young, but set an example(B) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith(C) and in purity.

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