from the time of His baptism by John down to the day when He was taken up from us, must be added to our number as a witness to His resurrection."

Then Peter stood with the Eleven around him, and raising his voice he addressed them, "Men of Judea and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this to you, and give close attention to my words.

The younger men, however, got up, wrapped up his body, carried it out, and buried it.

So the Twelve called together the whole body of the disciples, and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave off preaching the word of God to wait on tables.

And this they did and sent it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else.

But Elymas the magician -- for this is the meaning of his name -- continued to oppose them by trying to keep the governor from accepting the faith.

But the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, when they heard it, tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd,

They helped them select elders in each church, and after praying and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

And God who knows men's hearts testifies for them by giving them the Holy Spirit, as He did us,

Then the apostles and elders in cooperation with the whole church passed a resolution to select and send some men of their number with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. These were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers.

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.

The next day we left there and went on to Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses.

On the next day we went with Paul to see James, and all the elders of the church came too.

or of one who encourages others, in the field of encouragement; or one who gives his money, with liberality; or one who leads others, with earnestness; or one who does deeds of charity, with cheerfulness.

Now I introduce to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deaconess in the church at Cenchreae,

Remember me to Andronicus and Junias, my fellow-country-men, who also served in prison with me; they are held in high esteem among the apostles, and became Christians before I did.

I ask this to make you blush with shame. Has it come to this, that there is not a single wise man among you who could settle a grievance of one brother against another,

So then, my dearly beloved, keep on running from idolatry.

and any woman who prays or prophesies bareheaded dishonors her head, for it is one and the same thing with having her head shaved.

Does not nature itself teach you that it is degrading for a man to wear long hair,

And God has placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as prophets, third as teachers, then wonder-workers; then people with power to cure the sick, helpers, managers, ecstatic speakers.

And God has placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as prophets, third as teachers, then wonder-workers; then people with power to cure the sick, helpers, managers, ecstatic speakers.

and that He was seen by Cephas, and then by the Twelve.

Paul, an apostle sent not from men or by any man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead --

and not another single one of the apostles did I see, except James, the Lord's brother.

for He who had been at work in Peter for his apostleship to the Jews had been at work in me too for the apostleship to the heathen --

for you are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself the cornerstone.

which in the earlier ages, so different from the present, was not made known to mankind as fully as now, but through the Spirit it has been revealed to His Holy apostles and prophets --

And He has given some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers,

And He has given some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers,

Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all God's people in union with Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and assistants:

We beg you, brothers, to practice showing respect to those who labor among you, who are your leaders in the Lord's work, and who advise you;

Stop treating the messages of prophecy with contempt,

The deaconesses too must be serious, not gossips; they must be temperate and perfectly trustworthy.

Never reprove an older man, but always appeal to him as a father. Treat younger men like brothers,

Elders who do their duties well should be considered as deserving twice the salary they get especially those who keep on toiling in preaching and teaching.

Elders who do their duties well should be considered as deserving twice the salary they get especially those who keep on toiling in preaching and teaching.

I left you in Crete for this express purpose, to set in order the things that are lacking, and to appoint elders in each town, as I directed you --

For as God's trustee a pastor must be above reproach, not stubborn or quick-tempered or addicted to strong drink or pugnacious or addicted to dishonest gain,

You must not forget your former leaders, for it was they who brought you the message of God. Consider how they closed their lives; imitate their faith.

Continue to obey and to be submissive to your leaders, for they are ever watching in defense of your souls, as men who will have to give account of their trust. Treat them in this way, so that they may work with joy and not with grief.

Above all, my brothers, stop swearing, either by heaven or by the earth, or by anything else. Let your "Yes" mean Yes, and your "No," No, so as to keep from falling under condemnation.

Is anyone sick among you? He should call in the elders of the church, and they should pray over him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord,

So, as a joint-elder with them, a witness of the suffering borne by Christ, and a sharer of the glory that is to be uncovered, I beg the elders among you,

But I hold it against you that you are tolerating that Jezebel of a woman who claims to be a prophetess, and by her teaching is misleading my slaves to practice immorality and to eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols.

The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the Lamb's twelve apostles.