Bible Verses About The Laity And The Clergy

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Primary Bible text naming church offices in order.

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.

Direct ordination of elders in every church.

This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

Bishop office named in the New Testament.

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:

Commands ordaining elders and setting things in order.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Lists apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers.

But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

If the priest's daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Bishop qualifications passage.

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.

Deacon office and reward for good service.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

Elders who rule well and preach and teach.

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Deacon qualifications passage.

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Church addressed with bishops and deacons.

And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

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;

Shepherding language for church leaders.

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

Laying on of hands and purity in ministry.

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

passage about temple ministry used as background analogy

And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and after the division of the families of the Levites.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

Impartial discipline passage

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

Leaders over the people in the Lord.

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;

Bishop as steward of God with moral qualifications.

Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

But if the priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat: but there shall be no stranger eat thereof.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.