Church: Government of, Mosaic and Christian

If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose. …

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Then an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. …

A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest. …

If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,

So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. …

So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.

Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, as well as Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.

This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.

And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper.

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.

Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” …

As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.

So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.

Now I commend you for remembering me in everything and for maintaining the traditions, just as I passed them on to you.

So, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you come together it will not result in judgment. And when I come, I will give instructions about the remaining matters.

There are different ministries, but the same Lord.

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.

For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.

But everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner.

Then, on my arrival, I will send letters with those you recommend to carry your gift to Jerusalem.

…to submit to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer.

For if I grieve you, who is left to cheer me but those whom I have grieved? …

And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.

They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

…to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task. …

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.

Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,

Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings.

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you: …

I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.

So if I come, I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and forbids those who want to do so, even putting them out of the church.

And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt;

…save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.