Bible Verses about “qualifications of elders”
The Bible contains 34 verses about qualifications of elders across both Old and New Testaments. These scriptures offer guidance and inspiration for your spiritual journey.
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.”
“(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”
“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
“One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;”
“Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”
“¶ This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”
“Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”
“Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
“¶ Likewise [must] the deacons [be] grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;”
“Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”
“Even so [must their] wives [be] grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.”
“Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.”
“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;”
“Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.”
“For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
“And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being [found] blameless.”
“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”
“¶ These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:”
“¶ Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”
“For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;”
“But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;”
“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
“¶ The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:”
“¶ For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:”
“¶ If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.”
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
“Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”
“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;”
“And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. [And] be at peace among yourselves.”
“And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”
“¶ Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:”
“¶ And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.”