He must not get drunk. He must not push people around. He must be gentle. He must not be a person who likes to argue. He must not love money.

不因酒滋事，不打人，只要温和，不争竞，不贪财；

不酗酒，不打人；要温和，不好斗，不贪财。

不酗酒，不打人；要温和，不好斗，不贪财。

不酗酒、不好斗、要温和、不争吵、不贪财，

不好酒，不打人，只要温和，与人无争，不贪财，

不酗酒、不好斗；反要谦和，不争吵、不贪财，

不因酒滋事，不打人，只要溫和，不爭競，不貪財；

不酗酒，不打人；要溫和，不好鬥，不貪財。

不酗酒，不打人；要溫和，不好鬥，不貪財。

不酗酒、不好鬥、要溫和、不爭吵、不貪財，

不好酒，不打人，只要溫和，與人無爭，不貪財，

不豪飲、不打人、卻溫和良善；不爭鬪、不貪愛銀錢；

不酗酒、不好鬥；反要謙和，不爭吵、不貪財，

不酗酒、不毆擊、惟溫和無競、不好貨財、

不酗不競、非義之利勿取、必寛裕溫良、務絕貪婪、

不好酒、不好毆擊、不貪非義之利、不貪非義之利有原文抄本無此句當溫良、不爭競、不貪婪、

不可沉湎於酒、舉止暴躁；務須溫柔寬裕、與世無爭、不戀財物、

not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money.

not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy.

not overindulging in wine, not a bully, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money.

not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;

not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy—

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money.

not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

A church leader takes care of God’s family. That’s why he must be without blame. He must not look after only his own interests. He must not get angry easily. He must not get drunk. He must not push people around. He must not try to get money by cheating people.

Tell them not to speak evil things against anyone. Remind them to live in peace. They must consider the needs of others. They must always be gentle toward everyone.

In the same way, deacons must be worthy of respect. They must be honest and true. They must not drink too much wine. They must not try to get money by cheating people.

Why do you fight and argue among yourselves? Isn’t it because of your sinful desires? They fight within you.

Israel’s leaders are drunk from wine. They can’t walk straight. They are drunk from beer. They are unsteady on their feet. Priests and prophets drink beer. They can’t walk straight. They are mixed up from drinking too much wine. They drink too much beer. They are unsteady on their feet. The prophets see visions but don’t really understand them. The priests aren’t able to make good decisions.

In the same way, teach the older women to lead a holy life. They must not tell lies about others. They must not let wine control them. Instead, they must teach what is good.

“ You and your sons will go into the tent of meeting. When you do, you must not drink any kind of wine. If you do, you will die. This is a law that will last for all time to come.

Don’t fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Don’t be controlled by love for money. Be happy with what you have. God has said,“ I will never leave you. I will never desert you.”( Deuteronomy 31:6)

The Lord answered,“ Suppose a master puts one of his servants in charge of his other servants. The servant’s job is to give them the food they are to receive at the right time. The master wants a faithful and wise manager for this.It will be good for the servant if the master finds him doing his job when the master returns.What I’m about to tell you is true. The master will put that servant in charge of everything he owns.But suppose the servant says to himself,‘ My master is taking a long time to come back.’ Suppose that servant begins to beat the other servants, both men and women. Suppose he feeds himself. And suppose he drinks until he gets drunk.The master of that servant will come back on a day the servant doesn’t expect him. The master will return at an hour the servant doesn’t know. Then the master will cut him to pieces. He will send the servant to the place where unbelievers go.

Be shepherds of God’s flock, the believers under your care. Watch over them, though not because you have to. Instead, do it because you want to. That’s what God wants you to do. Don’t do it because you want to get money in dishonest ways. Do it because you really want to serve.

“ Be careful. If you aren’t, your hearts will be loaded down with wasteful living, drunkenness and the worries of life. Then the day the Son of Man returns will close on you like a trap. It will happen suddenly.That day will come on every person who lives on the whole earth.Always keep watching. Pray that you will be able to escape all that is about to happen. Also, pray that you will not be judged guilty when the Son of Man comes.”

Suppose a prophet goes around telling lies. And he prophesies that you will have plenty of wine and beer. Then that kind of prophet would be just right for this nation!

I, John, am a believer like you. I am a friend who suffers like you. As members of Jesus’ royal family, we can put up with anything that happens to us. I was on the island of Patmos because I taught God’s word and what Jesus said.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning. So it’s better to be patient than proud.

These teachers are never satisfied. They want to get something out of you. So they make up stories to take advantage of you. They have been under a sentence of death for a long time. The God who will destroy them has not been sleeping.

“ Suppose a master puts one of his slaves in charge of the other slaves in his house. The slave’s job is to give them their food at the right time. The master wants a faithful and wise slave for this.It will be good for the slave if the master finds him doing his job when the master returns.What I’m about to tell you is true. The master will put that slave in charge of everything he owns.But suppose that slave is evil. Suppose he says to himself,‘ My master is staying away a long time.’Suppose he begins to beat the other slaves. And suppose he eats and drinks with those who drink too much.The master of that slave will come back on a day the slave doesn’t expect him. He will return at an hour the slave does not know.Then the master will cut him to pieces. He will send him to the place where pretenders go. There people will weep and grind their teeth.

Love for money causes all kinds of evil. Some people want to get rich. They have wandered away from the faith. They have wounded themselves with many sorrows.But you are a man of God. Run away from all these things. Try hard to do what is right and godly. Have faith, love and gentleness. Hold on to what you believe.

Everyone wants to get richer and richer, from the least important of them to the most important. Prophets and priests alike try to fool everyone they can.

“ You might as well shut the temple doors! Then you would not light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord.“ I will not accept any of the offerings you bring.

They stare at women who are not their wives. They want to sleep with them. They never stop sinning. They trap those who are not firm in their faith. They have mastered the art of getting what they want. God has placed them under his judgment.They have left God’s way. They have wandered off. They follow the way of Balaam, son of Beor. He loved to get paid for doing his evil work.

The Lord says,“ The prophets are those who lead my people astray. If my people feed them, the prophets promise them peace. If my people do not feed them, the prophets prepare to go to war against them.

How terrible it will be for those who get up early in the morning to start drinking! How terrible for those who stay up late at night until they are drunk with wine!They have harps and lyres at their banquets. They have tambourines, flutes and wine. But they don’t have any concern for the mighty acts of the Lord. They don’t have any respect for what his power has done.

“ Why wasn’t this perfume sold? Why wasn’t the money given to poor people? It was worth a year’s pay.”He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor. He said it because he was a thief. Judas was in charge of the money bag. He used to help himself to what was in it.

They must be stopped. They are making trouble for entire families. They do this by teaching things they shouldn’t. They do these things to cheat people.

Anyone who serves the Lord must not be hard to get along with. Instead, they must be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach. The one who serves must not hold anything against anyone.They must gently teach those who are against them. Maybe God will give a change of heart to those who are against you. That will lead them to know the truth.

No priest may drink wine when he enters the inner courtyard.

People like that are not serving Christ our Lord. They are serving only themselves. With smooth talk and with words they don’t mean they fool people who don’t know any better.

I haven’t longed for anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.

Gehazi was the servant of Elisha, the man of God. Gehazi said to himself,“ My master was too easy on Naaman from Aram. He should have accepted the gift Naaman brought. I’m going to run after him. I’m going to get something from him. And that’s just as sure as the Lord is alive.”Gehazi hurried after Naaman. Naaman saw him running toward him. So he got down from the chariot to greet him.“ Is everything all right?” he asked.“ Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered.“ My master sent me to say,‘ Two young men from the group of the prophets have just come to me. They’ve come from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothes.’ ”“ I wish you would take twice as much silver,” said Naaman. He begged Gehazi to accept it. Then Naaman tied up 150 pounds of silver in two bags. He also gave Gehazi two sets of clothes. He gave all of it to two of his own servants. They carried it ahead of Gehazi.Gehazi came to the hill where Elisha lived. Then the servants handed the things over to Gehazi. He put them away in Elisha’s house. He sent the men away, and they left.Then he went back inside the house. He stood in front of his master Elisha.“ Gehazi, where have you been?” Elisha asked.“ I didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.But Elisha said to him,“ Didn’t my spirit go with you? I know that the man got down from his chariot to greet you. Is this the time for you to accept money or clothes? Is it the time to take olive groves, vineyards, flocks or herds? Is it the time to accept male and female slaves?You and your children after you will have Naaman’s skin disease forever.” Then Gehazi left Elisha. And he had Naaman’s skin disease. His skin had become as white as snow.

Your judges take money from people who want special favors. Your priests teach only if they get paid for it. Your prophets won’t tell fortunes unless they receive money. But you still look for the Lord’ s help. You say,“ The Lord is with us. No trouble will come on us.”

They are like dogs that love to eat. They never get enough. They are like shepherds who don’t have any understanding. All of them do as they please. They only look for what they can get for themselves.“ Come!” they shout.“ Let’s get some wine! Let’s drink all the beer we can! Tomorrow we’ll do the same thing. And that will be even better than today.”

That’s what happens to everyone who goes after money in the wrong way. That kind of money takes away the life of those who get it.

How terrible it will be for the city of Samaria! It sits on a hill like a wreath of flowers. The leaders of Ephraim are drunk. They take pride in their city. It sits above a valley that has rich soil. How terrible it will be for the glorious beauty of that fading flower!

The hired man is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when the hired man sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.The man runs away because he is a hired man. He does not care about the sheep.

Brothers and sisters, we are asking you to warn certain people. These people don’t want to work. Instead, they make trouble. We are also asking you to encourage those who have lost hope. Help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

Simon watched as the apostles placed their hands on them. He saw that the Spirit was given to them. So he offered money to Peter and John.He said,“ Give me this power too. Then everyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”Peter answered,“ May your money be destroyed with you! Do you think you can buy God’s gift with money?You have no part or share in this holy work. Your heart is not right with God.

Those who always want more bring ruin to their households. But a person who refuses to be paid to lie will live.

But his sons didn’t live as he did. They were only interested in making money. They accepted money from people who wanted special favors. They made things that were wrong appear to be right.

How terrible it will be for them! They have followed the way of Cain. They have rushed into the same mistake Balaam made. They did it because they loved money. They are like Korah. He turned against his leaders. These people will certainly be destroyed, just as Korah was.

“ The traders of the world will weep and mourn over her. No one buys what they sell anymore.Here is what they had for sale.“ Gold, silver, jewels, pearls. Fine linen, purple, silk, bright red cloth. Every kind of citron wood. All sorts of things made out of ivory, valuable wood, bronze, iron, marble.Cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense. Wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat. Cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, and human beings sold as slaves.

He said to them,“ It is written that the Lord said,‘ My house will be called a house where people can pray.’( Isaiah 56:7) But you are making it‘ a den for robbers.’ ”( Jeremiah 7:11)

Even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come over. He would speak to the person who was offering the sacrifice. He would say,“ Give the priest some meat to cook. He won’t accept boiled meat from you. He’ll only accept raw meat.”Sometimes the person would say to him,“ Let the fat be burned first. Then take what you want.” But the servant would answer,“ No. Hand it over right now. If you don’t, I’ll take it away from you by force.”That sin of Eli’s sons was very great in the Lord’ s sight. That’s because they were not treating his offering with respect.

I will give their wives to other men. I will give their fields to new owners. Everyone wants to get richer and richer. Everyone is greedy, from the least important to the most important. Prophets and priests alike try to fool everyone they can.