1 Corinthians 16:3

Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings;

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.

I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch;

One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae,

Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.

Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints,

For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

Take wise men of understanding who are respected among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.”

I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.

But in giving you this command, I don’t praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse.

Let all things be done decently and in order.

I had no relief for my spirit, because I didn’t find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia.

Not only so, but he was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness.

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the assemblies, the glory of Christ.

But I have sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that, just as I said, you may be prepared,

I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you,

“Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.

Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.

“Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and tell him, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “You were the seal of full measure, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

“Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say.”

For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.

As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;

When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them.

The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him.

When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,

Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow.

When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake;

that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.

I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it.

For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.

even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.

But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come.

But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was given to me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise.

On the first day of every week, let each one of you save, as he may prosper, that no collections are made when I come.

If it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me.

But I will come to you when I have passed through Macedonia, for I am passing through Macedonia.

Now I beg you, brothers—you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to serve the saints—

In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit,

We don’t control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.

begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace.

We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us.

For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God,

seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all,

For even if I boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed,

For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.

Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,

Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received commandments, “if he comes to you, receive him”),

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks be made for all men:

These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.

having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge.

for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia.

For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

But above all things, my brothers, don’t swear— not by heaven, or by the earth, or by any other oath; but let your “yes” be “yes”, and your “no”, “no”, so that you don’t fall into hypocrisy.