For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

Likewise {must} the deacons {be} grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I {am} pure from the blood of all {men}.

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; {given...: or, ready to quarrel, and offer wrong, as one in wine}

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe {be} to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Who {is there} even among you that would shut the doors {for nought}? neither do ye kindle {fire} on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, {even} my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, {Is} not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. {and say: Heb. saying}

Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. {feed or, rule}

And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, {are} men, {and} I {am} your God, saith the Lord GOD.

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword {shall be} upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, {son} of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble {you}, and thereby many be defiled; {fail...; or, fall from}

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily {in} the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed {in} Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. {Feed: or, Rule}

Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, {and} his people, {saying}, Where {is} he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where {is} he that put his holy Spirit within him? {shepherd: or, shepherds}

From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. {following: Heb. after}

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry {them} in his bosom, {and} shall gently lead those that are with young. {that...: or, that give suck}

But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for {your} pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive.

For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one {is} given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, {thyine: or, sweet}

If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here {am} I; send me. {Here...: Heb. behold me}

Yea, {they are} greedy dogs {which} can never have enough, and they {are} shepherds {that} cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. {greedy: Heb. strong of appetite} {can...: Heb. know not to be satisfied}

But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

Therefore will I give their wives unto others, {and} their fields to them that shall inherit {them}: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where {is} the flock {that} was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that {is} unprofitable for you. {have...: or, guide}

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, {and} look well to thy herds. {look...: Heb. set thy heart}

He saith to him again the second time, Simon, {son} of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Know ye that the LORD he {is} God: {it is} he {that} hath made us, and not we ourselves; {we are} his people, and the sheep of his pasture. {and not...: or, and his we are}

This {is} a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe {be} to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up {that which was} broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

Behold, here I {am}: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received {any} bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. {bribe: Heb. ransom} {to blind...: or, that I should hide mine eyes at him}

The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, {Is} not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. {and say: Heb. saying}

Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

Who {is there} even among you that would shut the doors {for nought}? neither do ye kindle {fire} on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they {shall be as} the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, {are} men, {and} I {am} your God, saith the Lord GOD.

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

Yea, {they are} greedy dogs {which} can never have enough, and they {are} shepherds {that} cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. {greedy: Heb. strong of appetite} {can...: Heb. know not to be satisfied}

{Thus} I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten {shekels} of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in. {a suit...: or, a double suit, etc: Heb. an order of garments}

And {if} any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and {then} take {as much} as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, {Nay}; but thou shalt give {it me} now: and if not, I will take {it} by force. {presently: Heb. as on the day}

From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. {following: Heb. after}

But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation {of the gospel} is committed unto me.

For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God {is} witness:

But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Likewise {must} the deacons {be} grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Then said he unto me, These {are} the places of them that boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.

Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I {am} their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I {am} their possession.

And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear {your} lies?

And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, {let him do it} with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. {giveth: or, imparteth} {with simplicity: or, liberally}

Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

For to {their} power, I bear record, yea, and beyond {their} power {they were} willing of themselves;

But it was {so, that} in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. {three...: Heb. twentieth year and third year}

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, {as} the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest {pertaineth} the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, {and} the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein {is}, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose;

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; {given...: or, ready to quarrel, and offer wrong, as one in wine}

The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. {of wisdom: Heb. of heart}

The priests the Levites, {and} all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.