Bible verses about "gatekeepers" | Twentieth_Century

¹ As for the older men among you, who bear office in the Church, I, their fellow-Officer, and a witness to the sufferings of the Christ, who shall also share in the glory that is to be revealed-- ² I urge you to be true shepherds of the flock of God among you, not because you are compelled, but of your own free will; not from a base love of gain, but with a ready spirit; ³ not as lords of your charges, but as examples to your flock. ⁴ Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades. ⁵ Again, you younger men should show deference to the older. And all of you should put on the badge of humility in mutual service, for 'God is opposed to the proud, but gives his help to the humble.' ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in his good time, ⁷ laying all your anxieties upon him, for he makes you his care. ⁸ Exercise self-control, be watchful. Your adversary, the Devil, like a roaring lion, is prowling about, eager to devour you. ⁹ Stand firm against him, strong in your faith; knowing, as you do, that the very sufferings which you are undergoing are being endured to the full by your Brotherhood throughout the world. ¹⁰ God, from whom all help comes, and who called you, by your union with Christ, into his eternal glory, will, when you have suffered for a little while, himself perfect, establish, strengthen you. ¹¹ To him be ascribed dominion for ever. Amen. ¹² I have been writing to you briefly by the hand of Silas, our true-hearted Brother (for so I regard him), to urge upon you, and to bear my testimony, that in what I have written is to be found the true love of God. On that take your stand. ¹³ Your sister-Church in 'Babylon' sends you greeting, and so does Mark, who is as a son to me. ¹⁴ Greet one another with the kiss of love. May God give his peace to you all in your union with Christ.

¹ Listen to me, you rich men, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming upon you! ² Your riches have wasted away, and your clothes have become moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and silver are rusted; and the rust on them shall be evidence against you, and shall eat into your very flesh. It was fire, so to speak, that you stored up for yourselves in these last days. ⁴ I tell you, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have been fraudulently keeping back, are crying out against you, and the outcries of your reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts! ⁵ You have lived on earth a life of extravagance and luxury; you have indulged your fancies in a time of bloodshed. ⁶ You have condemned, you have murdered, the Righteous One! Must not God be opposed to you? ⁷ Be patient, then, Brothers, till the Coming of the Lord. Even the farmer has to wait for the precious fruit of the earth, watching over it patiently, till it has had the spring and summer rains. ⁸ And you must be patient also, and not be discouraged; for the Lord's Coming is near. ⁹ Do not make complaints against one another, Brothers, or judgment will be passed upon you. The Judge is already standing at the door! ¹⁰ Brothers, as an example of the patient endurance of suffering, take the Prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ We count those who displayed such endurance blessed! You have heard, too, of Job's endurance, and have seen what the Lord's purpose was, for 'the Lord is full of pity and compassion.' ¹² Above all things, my Brothers, never take an oath, either by heaven, or by earth, or by anything else. With you let 'Yes' suffice for yes, and 'No' for no, so that you may escape condemnation. ¹³ If any of you is in trouble, let him pray; if any one is happy, let him sing hymns. ¹⁴ If any one of you is ill, let him send for the Officers of the Church, and let them pray over him, after anointing him with oil in the name of the lord. ¹⁵ The prayer offered in faith will save the man who is sick, and the Lord will raise him from his bed; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be cured. Great is the power of a good man's fervent prayer. ¹⁷ Elijah was only a man like ourselves, but, when he prayed fervently that it might not rain, no rain fell upon the land for three years and a half. ¹⁸ And, when he prayed again, the clouds brought rain, and the land bore crops. ¹⁹ My Brothers, should one of you be led astray from the Truth, and some one bring him back again, ²⁰ Be sure that he who brings a sinner back from his mistaken ways will save that man's soul from Death, and throw a veil over countless sins.

¹ First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be offered for every one, ² especially for kings and all who are in high positions, in order that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in a deeply religious and reverent spirit. ³ This will be good and acceptable in the eyes of God, our Savior, ⁴ whose will is that every one should be saved, and attain to a full knowledge of the Truth. ⁵ There is but one God, and one mediator between God and men--the man, Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of all men. This must be our testimony, as opportunities present themselves; ⁷ and it was for this that I was myself appointed a Herald and an Apostle (I am telling the simple truth and no lie)--a Teacher of the Gentiles in the Faith and Truth. ⁸ My desire, then, is that it should be the custom everywhere for the men to lead the prayers, with hands reverently uplifted, avoiding heated controversy. ⁹ I also desire that women should adorn themselves with appropriate dress, worn quietly and modestly, and not with wreaths or gold ornaments for the hair, or pearls, or costly clothing, ¹⁰ but--as is proper for women who profess to be religious--with good actions. ¹¹ A woman should listen silently to her teachers, and show them all deference. ¹² I do not consent to a woman's becoming a teacher, or exercising authority over a man; she ought to be silent. ¹³ Adam was formed first, not Eve. ¹⁴ And it was not Adam who was deceived; it was the woman who was entirely deceived and fell into sin. ¹⁵ But women will find their salvation in motherhood, if they never abandon faith, love, or holiness, and behave with modesty.