Elders

Elders are leaders of God's people; in the New Testament church they are also called overseers (bishops in the King James Version) and shepherds, and deacons serve alongside them. Their qualifications and duties are set out in the New Testament letters.

Elders in Israel

• Exodus 3:16
  Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.
  Show context · Read Exodus 3 →
• Numbers 11:16-17
  ¹⁶And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.Then the LORD said to Moses, “Bring Me seventy of the elders of Israel known to you as leaders and officers of the people. Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you. ¹⁷And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.And I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put that Spirit on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.
  Show context · Read Numbers 11 →

Qualifications of overseers

• 1 Timothy 3:1-7
  ¹This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task. ²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ³Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money. ⁴One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity. ⁵(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God? ⁶Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil. ⁷Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.
  Show context · Read 1 Timothy 3 →
• Titus 1:5-9
  ⁵For 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:The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. ⁶If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination. ⁷For 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;As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. ⁸But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. ⁹Holding 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.He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.
  Show context · Read Titus 1 →

Qualifications of deacons

• 1 Timothy 3:8-13
  ⁸Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money. ⁹Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.Additionally, they must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons. ¹¹Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.In the same way, the women must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things. ¹²Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household. ¹³For 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.For those who have served well as deacons acquire for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
  Show context · Read 1 Timothy 3 →
• Acts 6:1-6
  ¹And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.In those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Grecian Jews among them began to grumble against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. ²Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. ³Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them ⁴But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, as well as Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. ⁶Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
  Show context · Read Acts 6 →

Duties of elders

• 1 Peter 5:1-4
  ¹The 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:As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you: ²Feed 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;Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; ³Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
  Show context · Read 1 Peter 5 →
• Acts 20:28
  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.Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
  Show context · Read Acts 20 →
• James 5:14
  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
  Show context · Read James 5 →
• Hebrews 13:17
  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.Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.
  Show context · Read Hebrews 13 →

Appointing leaders

• Acts 14:23
  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 Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
  Show context · Read Acts 14 →
• Ephesians 4:11-12
  ¹¹And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹²For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,
  Show context · Read Ephesians 4 →

Honoring elders

• 1 Timothy 5:17-18
  ¹⁷Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. ¹⁸For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”
  Show context · Read 1 Timothy 5 →
• 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
  ¹²And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in the Lord and give you instruction. ¹³And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.In love, hold them in highest regard because of their work. Live in peace with one another.
  Show context · Read 1 Thessalonians 5 →

See also

• Leadership
• Church
• Church discipline
• Spiritual gifts

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.