9 Bible Verses about Church Authority, Of Eldars

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

When therefore they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith to him, Yes, Lord! thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith to him, Yes, Lord! thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said to him, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee! Jesus saith to him, Feed my sheep.

And he himself appointed, some indeed apostles, and some prophets; and others preachers of the Gospel; and others pastors and teachers; for the perfecting the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ: until we all attain in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a state of complete manhood, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

A bishop then must be irreprehensible, the husband of one wife, temperate, sagacious, respectable, hospitable, well qualified for teaching;

Let the elders who preside properly be counted worthy of double honour, especially those who are laborious in preaching and teaching.

BUT speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: that the elder men be sober, grave, discreet, sound in faith, in love, in patience. That the elder women also be sacredly becoming in their behaviour, not slanderers, not enslaved by much wine, teachers of propriety;read more.
that they instruct the young women to be discreet, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sober, domestic, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not ill reported of. The younger men in like manner exhort to be sober minded. In all things approving thyself as a pattern of good works: in thy teaching, shewing integrity, gravity, incorruptibility, sound discourse, incapable of confutation; that he who is in opposition may be confounded, having nothing faulty to say of you. Let servants be subject to their own masters, in all things to be agreeable to them; not contradicting; not embezzling their property, but demonstrating all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

feed the flock of God which is among you, exercising your pastoral office not of necessity, but of choice, not for base gain, but with alacrity of mind;

or he that exhorteth, in exhortation; he that distributes, let him do it with simplicity; he that presideth, with diligence; he that is employed in acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Now we entreat you, brethren, to know those who labour among you, and preside over you in the Lord, and admonish you;