And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.