Obey those in authority over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Greet all those in authority over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made administrator over his household, to give them food in due season?

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his servants, to give them their portion of food at the right time?

So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord into whom they believed.

And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,

and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);

Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.

Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you thrust it away, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

So then faith is of hearing, and hearing through the Word of God.

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

I, John, both your brother and companion in the affliction and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos because of the Word of God and because of the testimony of Jesus Christ.

And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God and because of the testimony which they held.

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them; and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not done homage to the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

that you do not become slothful, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The Beloved: If you do not know, O most beautiful among women, follow in the footsteps of the flock, and feed your young goats beside the tents of the shepherds.

Therefore I urge you, be imitators of me.

Be imitators of me, just as I am also of Christ.

Brethren, join in being imitators of me, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

For you yourselves know how you need to imitate our example, for we were not disorderly among you;

not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should imitate us.

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;

And they stoned Stephen as he was invoking and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also provide a way out, that you may be able to bear it.