35 Bible Verses about Watchfulness, Of Leaders

Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me.

Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the people of Israel. Listen to what I say and warn them for me. Suppose I say to a wicked person, 'You wicked person, you will certainly die.' And you say nothing to warn him to change his ways. That wicked person will die because of his sin. I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life.

He spoke to him a second time: Simon, son of John, do you love me? He replied: Yes Lord, you know I have affection for you. Then Jesus said: Shepherd my sheep.

When I tell a wicked man that he will surely die, but you do not warn him or speak out so that he can change his wicked way in order to save his life; that wicked man will die because of his sin. I will hold you responsible for his death.

It is similar to a man traveling to another country. He leaves his house and gives authority to his servants to do the work. He commands them to watch. Watch therefore for you do not know when the lord of the house comes. It could be in the evening, at midnight or in the morning (when the cock crows).

Obey those who lead you. Submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your lives and must account for this. Obey them that their work may be a joy and not a burden; that would be without gain for you.

Be on guard! Remember I did not cease for three years to admonish you day and night with tears.

Be on guard for yourselves and the flock that the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Feed the Congregation of God that he purchased with the blood of his own [Son].

The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate in habits, sound in mind, orderly, hospitable, qualified to teach;

The overseer must be blameless as God's steward. He must not be self-willed, not prone to anger, not a brawler, and not violent (quarrelsome) (pugnacious), not greedy of dishonest gain.

Shepherd the flock of God in your care. Exercise the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God. Do not do it for dishonest gain, but eagerly.

Truly I tell you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way is a thief and a robber. He who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens to him and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them.

I know that after my departing grievous wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine. Having their ears tickled, they will accumulate teachers who follow after their own lusts. They will turn their ears away from the truth, and turn aside to myths (fiction).read more.
Be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist (preacher of the good news), and fulfill your ministry.

holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to reprove (refute) (rebuke) those who contradict. There are many unruly (rebellious) men, vain talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision. They must be stopped. Their mouths must be shut up, for they subvert entire households. They teach things that should not be taught, for the sake of dishonest gain.

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.

Now I beseech you, brothers, mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine you have learned and avoid them.

envies, drunkenness, revelries, and things like these. I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that those who practice such things would not inherit the kingdom of God.

Furthermore, we encourage you, brothers, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you ought to walk, and to please God, so you would abound more and more.

A divisive and dissentious man should be admonished, and after two times have nothing to do with that man.

I testify to every man who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book.

I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night. Whoever calls on Jehovah, do not allow yourselves any rest, and do not give him any rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it an object of praise throughout the earth.

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah by no longer praying for you. Instead, I will teach you what is good and right for you to do.

God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit (whole heart and mind) in the good news of his Son. Without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers. I pray that I might by the will of God successfully come to you.

I continually give thanks for you in my prayers.

I always offer prayer filled with joy for you,

We pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and every work of faith with power.

Peter declared to him: Even though all shall leave you I will not. Jesus said to Peter: I tell you that before the rooster crows twice tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me.

The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate in habits, sound in mind, orderly, hospitable, qualified to teach; not addicted to wine, not quarrelsome; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money; one who manages well his own house, having his children in subjection with all seriousness;read more.
if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the congregation of God? He should not be a new believer, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the Devil. He must have a good reputation with those outside the congregation, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil.

Be diligent and think about these things. Give yourself wholly to them. That way your progress may be apparent to all. Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things. When you do this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

A blameless man will be the husband of one wife. He will have children that believe and who are not accused of violence and disobedience. The overseer must be blameless as God's steward. He must not be self-willed, not prone to anger, not a brawler, and not violent (quarrelsome) (pugnacious), not greedy of dishonest gain. but given to hospitality, as a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled;

Many of you should not be teachers, my brothers. You know that we will receive a heavier (stricter) judgment.

Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts of the forest! Israel's watchmen are blind. They all lack knowledge they are all mute dogs. They cannot bark. They just lie around and dream, they love to sleep. They are dogs with mighty appetites. They never have enough! They are shepherds who lack understanding. They all turn to their own way and each one seeks dishonest (unjust) gain.read more.
Come, each one cries, let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.

Jehovah continued to speak to me: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy to these shepherds. Tell them: 'The Lord Jehovah says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Should shepherds take care of the sheep? You eat the best parts of the sheep, dress in the wool, and butcher the finest sheep. Yet, you do not take care of the sheep.read more.
You have not strengthened those that were weak, healed those who were sick, or bandaged those who were injured. You have not brought back those who strayed away or looked for those who were lost. You have ruled them harshly and violently. They were scattered because there was no shepherd. They became food for every wild animal at the time they were scattered. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered throughout the entire earth. No one searched or looked for them. You shepherds, listen to the word of Jehovah. As I am alive, declares the Lord Jehovah, because there is no shepherd, my sheep have become prey. My sheep have become food for wild animals. My shepherds have not searched for my sheep. They have taken care of only themselves, not my sheep.' You shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah: The Lord Jehovah says: 'I am against the shepherds! I will demand my sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. So the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore. I will deliver my flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them.'

For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie. They have told false dreams! They comfort in vain. They go their way like sheep. They are afflicted because there is no shepherd. I am angry with the shepherds! I will punish the male goats. Jehovah of Hosts visited his flock, the house of Judah. He will make them as his majestic horse in the battle.