The Apostles Appointed Bishops and Deacons
1 The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ was sent out from God. 2 So then Christ is from God, and the Apostles are from Christ. So both came from the will of God in the appointed order. 3 So, having received their orders, and having been fully assured through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and confirmed in the word of God with the full assurance of the Holy Spirit, they went out with the good news that the kingdom of God was about to come. 4 So preaching everywhere in country and town, they appointed their firstfruits, when they had tested them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons for those who would believe. 5 And this was nothing new; for indeed it had been written about bishops and deacons from very ancient times; for the scripture says somewhere, “I will appoint their bishops in righteousness and their deacons in faith.”