Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible





It is necessary therefore that a bishop should be blameless, a husband of one wife, circumspect, sober, well-behaved, hospitable, apt to teach, not a wine-drinker, not a quarrelsome man, but gentle, not contentious, not avaricious, ruling well his own house, having his children in subjection with all dignity,??5 but if any one knows not how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God???6 not a novice, lest being inflated with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. read more.
And he must also have a good name from those without, that he may not fall into reproach and a snare of the devil.

For this cause I left you in Crete, that you might regulate things which are deficient, and appoint elders in every city, as I charged you, if any one is blameless, a husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of intemperance or of insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God, not self-indulgent, not soon angry, not given to wine, not contentious, not devoted to base gain, read more.
but a lover of hospitality, kind, sober, just, holy, self-denying, holding firmly the faithful word taught, that he may be able both to exhort with sound instruction and to convince those who contradict. For there are many disorderly wranglers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whom it is necessary to silence, who mislead whole families, teaching for base gain what they ought not.



Let the deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling well their children and their own houses.

Have we not a right to lead about a sister, a wife, as also the other apostles; and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

And Jesus coming into the house of Peter, saw his wife's mother lying and sick with a fever.


For this cause I left you in Crete, that you might regulate things which are deficient, and appoint elders in every city, as I charged you, if any one is blameless, a husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of intemperance or of insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God, not self-indulgent, not soon angry, not given to wine, not contentious, not devoted to base gain,


Unless as the Lord has imparted to each one, as God has called each one, so let him walk; and so I appoint in all the churches.

If any one is hungry let him eat at home, that you come not together for judgment. The other things I will arrange when I come.

If, therefore, the whole church comes together, and all speak with tongues, and there come in the unlearned and unbelieving, will they not say that you are mad?






which they also did, sending to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.



There being therefore no little dissension and disputation of Paul and Barnabas with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, concerning this question.




If any one is hungry let him eat at home, that you come not together for judgment. The other things I will arrange when I come.



And each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send help to the brethren living in Judea; which they also did, sending to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

AND certain persons having come down from Judea taught the brothers, If you are not circumcised according to the custom of Moses you cannot be saved. There being therefore no little dissension and disputation of Paul and Barnabas with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, concerning this question. They, therefore, being sent forward by the church, went to Phenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of the gentiles, and caused great joy to all the brothers. read more.
And when they came to Jerusalem they were received by the church, and the apostles, and the elders, and related what things God had done with them. But some of those of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, rose and said, that it is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders were assembled together to see about this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter rose and said to them, Men and brothers, you know that in former days God chose among you that the gentiles should hear by my mouth the word of the gospel and believe. And the heart-searching God testified to them, giving to them the Holy Spirit even as to us, and made no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by the faith. Now, therefore, why do you try God, to put on the necks of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we could bear? But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same manner as they. And all the multitude was silent, and heard Barnabas and Paul relate what miracles and prodigies God performed among the gentiles through them. And after they were silent, James answered, saying, Men and brothers, hear me. Simeon has related how God first visited the gentiles to take a people for his name. And with this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written, After this will I return and build up the tabernacle of David which had fallen down, and rebuild its ruins, and set it up, that the rest of men may seek the Lord, even all the nations on whom my name has been called, says the Lord who does these things, known from eternity. Wherefore I judge that we ought not to trouble those who turned to God from the gentiles, but to send to them to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and fornication, and things strangled, and blood. For Moses from ancient times has those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every sabbath. Then it seemed good to the apostles and elders, with all the assembly [the church], to send delegates from themselves to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, writing by their hand, The apostles and elders and brothers, to the brothers in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, who are of the gentiles, greeting. Since we heard that some going out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls, to whom we gave no charge, it seemed good to us, being of one opinion, to send delegates to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, and they will tell you the same things by word. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to put no greater burden upon you except these necessary things; that you should abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and blood, and things strangled, and fornication, from which if you keep yourselves you will do well. Farewell. They, therefore, being dismissed went to Antioch, and assembling the multitude delivered the epistle. And reading it they rejoiced at the exhortation. And Judas and Silas being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brothers with much argument, and confirmed them. And having staid [some] time, they were dismissed in peace by the brothers to those that sent them. (Added verse not retained in Sawyer) But Paul and Barnabas remained at Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others the word of the Lord.



And when he went through the cities he gave them the ordinances to observe which had been determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. Then the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

And from Miletus sending to Ephesus he called for the elders of the church.

Take heed to yourselves, therefore, and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he has purchased with his blood. For I know that after my departure grievous wolves will come among you, not sparing the flock, and of yourselves men will arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. read more.
Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not to admonish every one of you with tears. And now I commend you to God, and the word of his grace, who is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance with all the sanctified.

And on the following day Paul went with us to James, and all the elders were present.

Let the elders who rule well be accounted worthy of a double compensation, especially those who labor in word and teaching. For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle the ox that threshes; and, The laborer is worthy of his reward. Against an elder receive not an accusation, except by two or three witnesses.

For this cause I left you in Crete, that you might regulate things which are deficient, and appoint elders in every city, as I charged you, if any one is blameless, a husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of intemperance or of insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God, not self-indulgent, not soon angry, not given to wine, not contentious, not devoted to base gain, read more.
but a lover of hospitality, kind, sober, just, holy, self-denying, holding firmly the faithful word taught, that he may be able both to exhort with sound instruction and to convince those who contradict.

For by it the ancients obtained a good repute.

if any one is sick among you, let him send for the elders of the church, and let them pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

The elders among you I exhort, who am a co-elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed; feed the flock of God which is among you, not by constraint but willingly, not for base gain but of a ready mind, not as having a lordship over God's inheritance but being examples to the flock; read more.
and when the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive an unfading crown of glory. Let the younger in like manner be subject to the elder, and do you all be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

THE elder to the elect Curia and her children, whom I love in truth, and not I only but also all who have known the truth,

THE elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.




which they also did, sending to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.



There being therefore no little dissension and disputation of Paul and Barnabas with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, concerning this question.




to Titus my faithful son in the common faith; grace and peace from God the Father, and Christ Jesus our Saviour. For this cause I left you in Crete, that you might regulate things which are deficient, and appoint elders in every city, as I charged you,