and said to the judges, "Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the judgment.

"Now therefore, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do [it,] for [there is] no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes."

"But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

" But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as [one who] beats the air.

But I discipline my body and bring [it] into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it."

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.

looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

Tell me, O you whom I love, Where you feed [your flock,] Where you make [it] rest at noon. For why should I be as one who veils herself By the flocks of your companions? THE BELOVED

If you do not know, O fairest among women, Follow in the footsteps of the flock, And feed your little goats Beside the shepherds' tents.

He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry [them] in His bosom, [And] gently lead those who are with young.

Then he remembered the days of old, Moses [and] his people, [saying:] "Where [is] He who brought them up out of the sea With the shepherd of His flock? Where [is] He who put His Holy Spirit within them,

But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for [your] pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears, Because the LORD's flock has been taken captive.

Lift up your eyes and see Those who come from the north. Where [is] the flock [that] was given to you, Your beautiful sheep?

" Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, And declare [it] in the isles afar off, and say, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him, And keep him as a shepherd [does] his flock.'

"You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you [are] men, [and] I [am] your God," says the Lord GOD.

Shepherd Your people with Your staff, The flock of Your heritage, Who dwell solitarily [in] a woodland, In the midst of Carmel; Let them feed [in] Bashan and Gilead, As in days of old.

"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

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

for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another [different] kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

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.

Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

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

For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,

Obey those who rule 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.

For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;

So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.

He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry [them] in His bosom, [And] gently lead those who are with young.

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

"You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, [but] you do not feed the flock.

And He shall stand and feed [His flock] In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth;

Shepherd Your people with Your staff, The flock of Your heritage, Who dwell solitarily [in] a woodland, In the midst of Carmel; Let them feed [in] Bashan and Gilead, As in days of old.

Thus says the LORD my God, "Feed the flock for slaughter,

'But you, Bethlehem, [in] the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, [son] of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."

He said to him the third time, "Simon, [son] of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called [to be] saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,

What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise [you.]

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and [tried to] destroy it.

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

but if I am delayed, [I write] so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

Remember Your congregation, [which] You have purchased of old, The tribe of Your inheritance, [which] You have redeemed -- This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put [Him] to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see [His] seed, He shall prolong [His] days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, [like] silver or gold, from your aimless conduct [received] by tradition from your fathers,

but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

But you [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,