15 Bible Verses about Ministers

You are the light of the world. A city that is built upon a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a peck-measure but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light shine before people in such a way that they may see your good deeds, and praise your Father in heaven.

to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's power to God, so as to have their sins forgiven and have a possession among those that are consecrated by faith in me.'

For the people themselves tell us what a welcome you gave us, and how you turned from idols to the true God, to serve the God who lives on and is real,

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you; continue to turn away from the worldly, futile phrases and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge,"

to stop devoting themselves to myths and never-ending pedigrees, for such things lead to controversies rather than stimulate our trusteeship to God through faith.

Now in this matter of trustees the first and final requirement is that they should prove to be trustworthy.

The things you learned from me before many witnesses you must commit to trustworthy men who will be competent to teach others too.

You are the light of the world. A city that is built upon a hill cannot be hidden.

John was the lamp that kept on burning and shining, and you decided for a time to delight yourselves in his light.

continue to hold them in the highest esteem for the sake of the work they do. Practice living at peace with one another.

So, because I hold a place in this ministry and that because I have had God's mercy shown me, I never give up.

for which I was called to serve in accordance with the gift of God's unmerited favor which was bestowed on me by the exercise of His power--

if indeed you continue well grounded and firm in faith and never shift from the hope inspired by the good news you heard, which has been preached all over the world, and of which I, Paul, have been made a minister.

He has qualified even me as a minister of the new covenant, which is not a written but a spiritual covenant. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Of this good news I have been appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.

This is why the good news was preached to the dead too, that they may be judged in their physical nature as men are, but live in the Spirit as God does.

yes, he continued to preach to them the kingdom of God, and to teach them about the Lord Jesus Christ, and that with perfect, unfettered freedom of speech.

Then they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept on working with them and confirming their message by the signs that attended it.

In those days John the Baptist appeared, and kept preaching in the desert of Judea,

Then I saw another angel flying in mid-air, with eternal good news to tell to the inhabitants of the earth, to every nation, tribe, language, and people.

So, to keep me from being over-elated, there was sent upon me a physical disease, sharp as a piercing stake, a messenger of Satan, to continue afflicting me, and so to keep me, I repeat, from being over-elated.

To this very hour we have gone hungry, thirsty, poorly clad; we have been roughly knocked around; we have had no home.

in floggings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, and hunger;

Are they ministers of Christ? So am I. I am talking like a man that has gone crazy -- as such I am superior! -- serving Him with labors greater by far, with far more imprisonments, with floggings vastly worse, and often at the point of death.

So ever be on your guard and always remember that for three years, night and day, I never ceased warning you one by one, and that with tears.

So, although I did write to you, it was not for the offender's sake, nor for the offended party's sake, but in the sight of God for the sake of having your enthusiasm for me made perfectly clear to you. This is why I am so comforted.

Besides all other things, there is my concern for all the churches.

I repeat it, I am apprehensive that, somehow or other, there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, rivalries, slanders, gossiping, haughty pride, and disorders,

I am beginning to fear that I have bestowed my labors on you for nothing.

because they were very much disturbed over their continuing to teach the people and to declare in the case of Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

So Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began to preach the Christ to the Samaritans.

Then Philip opened his mouth, and starting from this passage, he told him the good news about Jesus.

and at once he began to preach in their synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

He has sent His message to the descendants of Israel, by telling them the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all.

because they were very much disturbed over their continuing to teach the people and to declare in the case of Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

So Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began to preach the Christ to the Samaritans.

Then Philip opened his mouth, and starting from this passage, he told him the good news about Jesus.

and at once he began to preach in their synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

He has sent His message to the descendants of Israel, by telling them the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all.

They presented these men to the apostles, and after they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.

Stop neglecting the gift you received, which was given you through prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you.

Make it a rule not to ordain anyone in haste, and not to be responsible for the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

For this reason I now remind you to rekindle and keep burning the fire of the divine gift which came upon you when I laid my hands upon you.

For God is not so unjust as to forget the work you have done and the love you have shown His name in the service you have rendered for your fellow-Christians, and still are doing.

So, my dear brothers, continue to be firm, incapable of being moved, always letting the cup run over in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the service of the Lord is never thrown away.

But the man who looks at the flawless law that makes men free, and keeps on looking, proving himself to be, not a forgetful hearer but an actual doer of what it requires, will be blessed in what he does.

"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink, on the ground that you belong to Christ, I solemnly say to you, he will not fail to get his reward.

Then He said to them, "You must go all over the world and preach the good news to all the creation.

What I speak to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ears, you must proclaim from housetops.

And as you go continue to preach, 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'

preach the message, stay at it in season and out of season; convince, reprove, exhort people with perfect patience as a teacher.

Then He answered him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but you go on and continue to spread the good news of the kingdom of God."

Then He said to them, "You must go all over the world and preach the good news to all the creation.

What I speak to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ears, you must proclaim from housetops.

And as you go continue to preach, 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'

preach the message, stay at it in season and out of season; convince, reprove, exhort people with perfect patience as a teacher.

Then He answered him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but you go on and continue to spread the good news of the kingdom of God."

For the Scripture says, "You must not muzzle an ox when he is treading out the grain," and, "The workman deserves his pay."

and do not take a bag for your journey, nor two shirts, nor any shoes, nor a staff, for the workman deserves his support.

Just so the Lord has issued orders that those who preach the good news shall get their living out of it.

Those who are taught the truth should share all their goods with the man who teaches them.

But you did me a kindness to share my sorrow with me.

For the Scripture says, "You must not muzzle an ox when he is treading out the grain," and, "The workman deserves his pay."

and do not take a bag for your journey, nor two shirts, nor any shoes, nor a staff, for the workman deserves his support.

Just so the Lord has issued orders that those who preach the good news shall get their living out of it.

Those who are taught the truth should share all their goods with the man who teaches them.

But you did me a kindness to share my sorrow with me.

must have a reputation for doing good deeds, as bringing up children, being hospitable to strangers, washing the feet of God's people, helping people in distress, or devoting herself to any sort of doing good.

So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching;

always supplying the needs of God's people, ever practicing hospitality.

but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sensible, upright, of pure life, self-controlled,

Do not remain neglectful of hospitality to strangers, for by it some have entertained angels without knowing it.

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.

For the third time Jesus asked him, "Simon, son of John, do you really tenderly love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus the third time asked him, "Do you really tenderly love me?" So he answered Him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I do tenderly love you." Jesus said to him, "Then feed my sheep.

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.

For the third time Jesus asked him, "Simon, son of John, do you really tenderly love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus the third time asked him, "Do you really tenderly love me?" So he answered Him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I do tenderly love you." Jesus said to him, "Then feed my sheep.

Now who is qualified for such a task? I am, for I am not a peddler of God's message, like the most of them, but like a man of sincerity, like a man that is sent from God and living in His presence, in union with Christ I speak His message.

Indeed, we never resorted to flattery, as you are well aware, nor to any pretext for making money; God is our witness.

On the other hand, I have renounced all underhanded, disgraceful methods; I neither practice cunning nor do I tamper with God's message, but by clear and candid statements of truth I try to commend myself to every human conscience in God's sight.

For our appeal did not originate from a delusion or an impure motive; it was not made in fraud;

and teach them to practice all the commands that I have given you. And I myself will surely be with you all the days, down to the very close of an age."

So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching;

Those who have Christian masters must not pay them less respect because they are brothers; they must serve them all the better, because those who get the benefit of their service are believers and so are dear to them. These are the things that you must continue to teach and urge them to do.

Continue to give these orders and to teach these truths.

With gentleness he must correct his opponents, for God might grant them repentance that would lead them to a full knowledge of the truth,

and teach them to practice all the commands that I have given you. And I myself will surely be with you all the days, down to the very close of an age."

So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching;

Those who have Christian masters must not pay them less respect because they are brothers; they must serve them all the better, because those who get the benefit of their service are believers and so are dear to them. These are the things that you must continue to teach and urge them to do.

Continue to give these orders and to teach these truths.

With gentleness he must correct his opponents, for God might grant them repentance that would lead them to a full knowledge of the truth,

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.

to the one a deadly perfume that leads to death, to the other a living perfume that leads to life.

Many of you, my brothers, should avoid becoming teachers, because you know that we teachers are going to be judged with stricter judgment than other people.

and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the glorious crown that never fades.

If the structure which one builds upon it stands the test, he will get his pay.

I solemnly say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.

For if I do it of my own accord, I get my pay; but if I am unwilling to do it, I still am entrusted with trusteeship. Then what is the pay that I am getting? To be able to preach the good news without expense to anybody, and so never to make full use of my rights in preaching the good news.

So give him a hearty Christian welcome and hold in honor men like him,

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.

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 hold them in the highest esteem for the sake of the work they do. Practice living at peace with one another.

Follow my example, brothers, and keep your eyes on those who practice living by the pattern we have set you.

Not that I have no right to be supported, but to make myself an example for you to follow.

Let no one think little of you because you are young, but always set an example for believers, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

and not as domineering over those in your charge but proving yourselves models for the flock to imitate;

because you are helping me by your prayers for me, so that thanks to God will be given by many on my behalf for God's gracious gift to me in answer to the prayers of many.

Pray for me, for I am sure that I have a clear conscience, and in everything I want to live a noble life.

and for me that a message may be given me when I open my lips, so that I may boldly make known the open secret of the good news,

Now I beg you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that the Spirit inspires, to wrestle with me in prayers to God on my behalf,

Because we were yearning for you so tenderly, we were willing, not only to share with you God's good news, but to lay down our very lives too for you, all because you were so dearly loved by us.

And I have a right to think this way about you, because I always have you in my heart, whether shut up in prison or out defending and vindicating the good news, for you are sharers with me of God's favor.

for you know how, as a father deals with his children, we used to encourage you, cheer you on, and charge each of you

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the good news -- but not by means of wisdom and rhetoric, so that the cross of Christ may not be emptied of its power.

and my language and the message I preached were not adorned with pleasing words of worldly wisdom, but they were attended with proof and power given by the Spirit,

Now when I came to you, brothers, I did not come and tell you God's uncovered secret in rhetorical language or human philosophy,

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.

Every time I remember you I thank my God,

I am always thanking God for you, for the spiritual blessing given you by God through union with Christ Jesus;

For how can I render God enough thanks for you, for all the joy I have on account of you in the presence of our God,

So give him a hearty Christian welcome and hold in honor men like him,

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.

continue to hold them in the highest esteem for the sake of the work they do. Practice living at peace with one another.

Those who are taught the truth should share all their goods with the man who teaches them.

What soldier ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its grapes? Who shepherds a flock and does not drink any of the milk the flock produces? I am not saying this only by way of human illustrations, am I? Does not the law say so too? For in the law of Moses it is written, "You must not muzzle an ox that is treading out your grain." Is it that God is concerned about oxen only? read more.
Is He not really speaking on our behalf? Yes, indeed, this law was written on our behalf, because the plowman ought to plow and the thresher ought to thresh, in the hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown the spiritual seed for you, is it too great for us to reap a material support from you?

be shepherds of the flock of God that is among you, not as though you had to but of your own free will, not from the motive of personal profit but freely,

Deacons, too, must be serious, sincere in their talk, not addicted to strong drink or dishonest gain,

I have never coveted any man's silver or gold or clothes.

not addicted to strong drink, not pugnacious, gentle and not contentious, not avaricious,

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.

be shepherds of the flock of God that is among you, not as though you had to but of your own free will, not from the motive of personal profit but freely,

After they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, are you more devoted to me than you are to these things?" Peter answered Him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I tenderly love you." Jesus said to him, "Then feed my lambs." Jesus again said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, are you really devoted to me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I tenderly love you." Jesus said to him, "Then be a shepherd to my sheep." For the third time Jesus asked him, "Simon, son of John, do you really tenderly love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus the third time asked him, "Do you really tenderly love me?" So he answered Him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I do tenderly love you." Jesus said to him, "Then feed my sheep.

For what is our hope or happiness or crown of boasting, except you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ when He comes?

But now, since Timothy has just come back to me from you, and brought me good tidings of your faith and love, and told me how kindly you remembered me and that you are longing to see me as much as I am to see you, this is the very reason, namely, through your faith, brothers, that I have been encouraged about you, in spite of all my distresses and crushing difficulties, for now I am really living, since you are standing firm in the Lord. read more.
For how can I render God enough thanks for you, for all the joy I have on account of you in the presence of our God,

What I speak to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ears, you must proclaim from housetops. You must never be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. But rather you must keep on fearing Him who can destroy both soul and body in the pit.

To keep my ministry from being found fault with, I am trying not to put a single hindrance in anybody's way.

Stop being stumbling blocks to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God, just as I myself am in the habit of pleasing everybody in everything, not aiming at my own welfare but at that of as many people as possible, in order that they may be saved.

It is now the third time that I have been ready to come to see you, and I will never ask you for financial support, for it is not your money but you yourselves that I want; for children are not by duty bound to lay up money for their parents, but parents for their children.

We never sought praise from men, either from you or from anyone else; although as apostles we could have stood on our official dignity.

You remember, brothers, our hard labor and toil. We kept up our habit of working night and day, in order not to be a burden to any of you when we preached to you.

Then what is the pay that I am getting? To be able to preach the good news without expense to anybody, and so never to make full use of my rights in preaching the good news.

but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sensible, upright, of pure life, self-controlled,

For if I do boast a little too much about my authority, which the Lord gave me for building you up and not for tearing you down, I shall never have to blush for doing so.

This is why I am writing this while far away from you, that when I do come, I may not have to deal harshly with you in accordance with the authority which the Lord has given me, for building you up, not for tearing you down.

For if I do boast a little too much about my authority, which the Lord gave me for building you up and not for tearing you down, I shall never have to blush for doing so.

This is why I am writing this while far away from you, that when I do come, I may not have to deal harshly with you in accordance with the authority which the Lord has given me, for building you up, not for tearing you down.

Yes, just as you are growing rich in everything else, in faith, expression, knowledge, perfect enthusiasm, and the love inspired in you by us, you must see to it that you grow rich in this gracious contribution too.

But now, since Timothy has just come back to me from you, and brought me good tidings of your faith and love, and told me how kindly you remembered me and that you are longing to see me as much as I am to see you,

So Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began to preach the Christ to the Samaritans.

Then Philip opened his mouth, and starting from this passage, he told him the good news about Jesus.

for I determined, while among you, to be unconscious of everything but Jesus Christ and Him as crucified.

But by God's unmerited favor I have become what I am, and His unmerited favor shown to me was not bestowed for nothing, for I have toiled more extensively than any of them, and yet it was not I but God's unmerited favor working with me.

So neither the planter nor the waterer counts for much, but God is everything in keeping the plants growing.

that is, to understand that you have grounds for boasting of me just as I have for boasting of you, on the day of our Lord Jesus.

This is the very thing I wrote you, that when I did come I might not be made sad by the very people who ought to make me glad, for I had confidence in you all that my gladness would be gladness to you all.

On every side I am ever hard-pressed, but never hemmed in; always perplexed, but never to the point of despair;

sad but always glad, poor but making many people rich, penniless but really possessing everything.

Follow my example, brothers, and keep your eyes on those who practice living by the pattern we have set you.

You must follow my example, just as I myself am following Christ's.

for the immediate equipment of God's people for the work of service, for the ultimate building up of the body of Christ,

Are you thinking all this time that I am defending myself to you? It is in the very presence of God and as one who is in union with Christ that I am speaking. And it is all for building you up, beloved, for I am apprehensive that, somehow or other, when I come I shall find you not as I want to find you, and that you may find me not as you want to find me.

Am I now trying to win men's favor, or God's? Or, am I trying to be pleasing to men? If I were still trying to be pleasing to men, I would not be a slave of Christ at all.

for since we have been so approved by God as to be entrusted with the good news, we are now telling it, not to please men but God, who proves and finds approved our hearts.

and a slave of the Lord must not quarrel but must be gentle to everybody; he must be a skillful teacher, and not resentful under injuries.

Instead we were little children among you; we were like a mother nursing her children.

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.

I beg you to put yourselves under leaders like these, and under anyone who cooperates with you, and labors hard.

but still you did not scorn the test my illness made of you, nor did you spurn me for it; on the contrary, you welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

As for us apostles, men ought to think of us as ministers of Christ and trustees to handle God's uncovered truths.

for I never shrank from telling you God's whole plan.

I never shrank from telling you anything that was for your good, nor from teaching you in public and in private,

"Go and take your stand in the temple square and continue to tell the people the message of this new life."

On the contrary, I am trying in everything to prove to people that I am a true servant of God: by my tremendous endurance in sorrows, distresses, difficulties;

and a slave of the Lord must not quarrel but must be gentle to everybody; he must be a skillful teacher, and not resentful under injuries.

Not that I am myself qualified to consider anything as coming from me myself. No, my qualification comes from God, for He has qualified even me as a minister of the new covenant, which is not a written but a spiritual covenant. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

But if the slave is bad and says to himself, 'My master is going to be gone a long time,' and begins to beat his fellow-slaves, and keeps on eating and drinking with those who get drunk, the master of that slave will come on the very day he is not expecting him, read more.
and will cut him in two, and give him his share with the hypocrites, where they will weep and grind their teeth."

If you continue to put these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, ever feeding your own soul on the truths of the faith and of the fine teaching which you have followed.

the former are preaching Christ from the motive of rivalry, not in sincerity, supposing that this is making it harder for me to bear my imprisonment.

But now I count as nothing the sacrifice of my life, if only I can finish my race and render the service entrusted to me by the Lord Jesus, of faithfully telling the good news of God's favor.

in accordance with my eager expectation and hope that I shall never disgrace myself, but that now as always hitherto, by my all-conquering courage, whether by living or dying, Christ will be honored in me. For to me living means Christ and dying brings gain.

For this reason I kneel before the Father,

and always do it with joy in every entreaty I make for all of you,

For there are many insubordinate people, mere talkers with nothing to say, but deceivers of their own minds, especially those of the circumcision party, whose mouths must be stopped, for they upset whole families by teaching things they ought not to think, for the sake of dishonest gain.

He who believes it and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe it will be condemned.

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the good news -- but not by means of wisdom and rhetoric, so that the cross of Christ may not be emptied of its power.

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of the Scriptures, and to preaching and teaching.

Continue cultivating these things; be devoted to them, so that everybody will see your progress.

I have fought the fight for the good, I have run my race, I have kept faith.

This is the instruction which I entrust to you, my son Timothy, which is in accordance with the prophetic utterances formerly made about you, that you may, aided by them, continue to fight the good fight,

managing his own house well, with perfect seriousness keeping his children under control

A deacon too must have only one wife, and manage his children and household well.

So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching;

and a slave of the Lord must not quarrel but must be gentle to everybody; he must be a skillful teacher, and not resentful under injuries.

And I solemnly beg you, my true comrade, keep on cooperating with those two women, because they shared with me the struggle in spreading the good news, together with Clement and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Remember me to Urbanus, my fellow-worker in the work of Christ, and to my dear friend Stachys.

Let them alone. They are blind teachers! And if one blind man guides another, they will both fall into the ditch."

but they must continue to hold the open secret of faith with a clear conscience.

Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever pays no attention to you pays no attention to me, and whoever pays no attention to me pays no attention to Him who sent me."

Let no one think little of you because you are young, but always set an example for believers, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

So everything they tell you, do and practice, but stop doing what they do, for they preach but do not practice.

This is why, ever since I heard of it, I have never ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you, through full wisdom and spiritual insight, with a clear knowledge of His will,

but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sensible, upright, of pure life, self-controlled,

No soldier ever allows himself to be involved in the business affairs of life, so that he may please the officer who enlisted him.

Then He answered him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but you go on and continue to spread the good news of the kingdom of God."

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,

not addicted to strong drink, not pugnacious, gentle and not contentious, not avaricious,

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,

So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching;

So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching;

but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sensible, upright, of pure life, self-controlled,

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,

not addicted to strong drink, not pugnacious, gentle and not contentious, not avaricious,

And no one takes this honor upon himself but is called to it by God, as Aaron was.

In their greed they will exploit you with messages manufactured by themselves. From of old their condemnation has not been idle and their destruction has not been slumbering.