27 Bible Verses about Watchfulness, Of Leaders
Most Relevant Verses
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.
As a man going abroad, when he left his abode, and gave his servants authority, and to each his work, commanded also the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore; for ye know not at what time the master of the house cometh, at evening, or midnight, or cock-crowing, or in the morning:
Obey your presidents, and be subject to them: for they are vigilant for your souls, as being to render an account, that they may do it with joy, and not groaning: for that would be disadvantageous for you.
Therefore watch, remembering that for three years, by night and by day, I have never ceased with tears to admonish every individual.
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.
A bishop then must be irreprehensible, the husband of one wife, temperate, sagacious, respectable, hospitable, well qualified for teaching;
For a bishop ought to be irreproachable, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not irritable, not addicted to wine, not quarrelsome, not greedy of filthy lucre;
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;
VERILY, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but getteth in some other way, that person is a thief and a robber. He that entereth by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own peculiar sheep by name, and leadeth them forth.
For this I know, that after my departure there will come among you grievous wolves, not sparing the flock:
preach the word, be urgent, in season, out of season; reprove, enjoin, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own inclinations will set up a herd of teachers for themselves, having the itch of hearing; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and listen unto fables.read more.
But watch thou in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fully discharge thy ministry.
firmly attached to the faithful word, according to the doctrine delivered, that he may be able to exhort with sound instruction and to confute the opposers. For there are many disorderly persons vainly talkative, and under a spirit of delusion, especially some of the circumcised; whose mouths ought to be muzzled, who pervert whole families, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of base gain.
I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I admonish you.
Now I beseech you, brethren, keep a sharp eye over those who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine ye have learned, and turn away from them.
envyings, murders, drunkenness, revels, and the like of these, concerning which I tell you now, as I have told you already, that they who live in such practices shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
FINALLY, brethren, we beseech you therefore, and conjure you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk, and please God, so ye would abound more and more.
For I testify to every one who heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man add to these things, God will lay upon him the plagues that are written in this book:
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son, how incessantly I make mention of you, always in my prayers entreating that haply now at last I may have a prosperous journey by the will of God, to come to you.
have not ceased offering up my praises for you, making mention of you in my prayers,
always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy,
Wherefore also we pray continually for you, that our God would count you worthy of the calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
Then said Peter unto him, Though all should be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith to him, Verily I tell thee, That to-day, in the course of this very night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me.
A bishop then must be irreprehensible, the husband of one wife, temperate, sagacious, respectable, hospitable, well qualified for teaching; not addicted to wine, not using hard words or blows, not greedy of base gain; but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money; presiding over his own family with propriety, having his children under subjection with all gravity of behaviour:read more.
for if a man knoweth not how to order his own family, how shall he take proper care of the church of God? Not a new convert, lest he be puffed up, and fall into the devil's crime. He must also have a fair character from those who are without, that he may not fall into reproach, and into the snare of the devil.
Let these things be thy care; be wholly devoted to them; that thy progress may be evident to all men. Take heed unto thyself, and to thy doctrine; abide in them: for so doing thou shalt both save thyself, and those who hear thee.
if there be a man blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not under an accusation or debauchery, or disorderly conduct. For a bishop ought to be irreproachable, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not irritable, not addicted to wine, not quarrelsome, not greedy of filthy lucre; but the stranger's host, the good man's friend, grave, just, holy, temperate;
