Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly [is] plentiful, but the laborers [are] few.

"Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

"Do you not say, 'There are still four months and [then] comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

"For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.'

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

"[It is] like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God [which was] with me.

We then, [as] workers together [with Him] also plead with [you] not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need;

because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

To this [end] I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

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

For to this [end] we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is [the] Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.

Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer [is] worthy of his wages."

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy [our] brother, To Philemon our beloved [friend] and fellow laborer,

Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets [are] four hundred and fifty men.

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?" So they said, "Go up, for the Lord will deliver [it] into the hand of the king."

So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "[There is] still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say such things!"

All you beasts of the field, come to devour, All you beasts in the forest.

Yes, [they are] greedy dogs [Which] never have enough. And they [are] shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his [own] territory.

"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

"The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.

"My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching [for them."]

"whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, 'Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich'; and their shepherds do not pity them.

"Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock! A sword [shall be] against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither, And his right eye shall be totally blinded."

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."

Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.

"But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot [for] forty-two months.

"And I will give [power] to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run [swiftly] and be glorified, just as [it is] with you,

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.

"Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that [is] upon you and will put [the same] upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear [it] yourself alone.

Then Moses said to him, "Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD's people were prophets [and] that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!"

The Lord gave the word; Great [was] the company of those who proclaimed [it:]

"And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with [them] and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

"Then He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.' "

"So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

'I will deliver you from the [Jewish] people, as well as [from] the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

(Now this, "He ascended" -- what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

And He Himself gave some [to be] apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting [me] into the ministry,

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

"To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ' These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: