being a good steward

²Here and now, it is required of attendants that each one be found to be faithful.

²³Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord, and not for men.

¹⁰Just as each of you has received grace, minister in the same way to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

⁸But if anyone has no concern for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith, and he is worse than an unbeliever.

¹For the First Sabbath. A Psalm of David. The earth and all its fullness belong to the Lord: the whole world and all that dwells in it.

³⁵I have revealed all things to you, because by laboring in this way, it is necessary to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

⁵Let your behavior be without avarice; be content with what you are offered. For he himself has said, “I will not abandon you, and I will not neglect you.”

¹Accordingly, let man consider us to be ministers of Christ and attendants of the mysteries of God.

¹⁰Whoever is faithful in what is least, is also faithful in what is greater. And whoever is unjust in what is small, is also unjust in what is greater.

⁷And a bishop, as a steward of God, must be without offense: not arrogant, not short-tempered, not a drunkard, not violent, not desiring tainted profit, ⁸but instead: hospitable, kind, sober, just, holy, chaste, ⁹embracing faithful speech which is in agreement with doctrine, so that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to argue against those who contradict.

⁷In all things, present yourself as an example of good works: in doctrine, with integrity, with seriousness,

⁴¹And Jesus, sitting opposite the offertory box, considered the way in which the crowd cast coins into the offertory, and that many of the wealthy cast in a great deal. ⁴²But when one poor widow had arrived, she put in two small coins, which is a quarter. ⁴³And calling together his disciples, he said to them: “Amen I say to you, that this poor widow has put in more than all those who contributed to the offertory. ⁴⁴For they all gave from their abundance, yet truly, she gave from her scarcity, even all that she had, her entire living.”

²⁴Let no one seek for himself, but for others.

¹⁴For it is like a man setting out on a long journey, who called his servants and delivered to them his goods. ¹⁵And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, yet to another he gave one, to each according to his own ability. And promptly, he set out. ¹⁶Then he who had received five talents went out, and he made use of these, and he gained another five. ¹⁷And similarly, he who had received two gained another two. ¹⁸But he who had received one, going out, dug into the earth, and he hid the money of his lord. ¹⁹Yet truly, after a long time, the lord of those servants returned and he settled accounts with them.

⁴²So the Lord said: “Who do you think is the faithful and prudent steward, whom his Lord has appointed over his family, in order to give them their measure of wheat in due time? ⁴³Blessed is that servant if, when his Lord will return, he will find him acting in this manner. ⁴⁴Truly I say to you, that he will appoint him over all that he possesses. ⁴⁵But if that servant will have said in his heart, ‘My Lord has made a delay in his return,’ and if he has begun to strike the men and women servants, and to eat and drink, and to be inebriated, ⁴⁶then the Lord of that servant will return on a day which he hoped not, and at an hour which he knew not. And he will separate him, and he will place his portion with that of the unfaithful.

²⁷Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.

⁷And a bishop, as a steward of God, must be without offense: not arrogant, not short-tempered, not a drunkard, not violent, not desiring tainted profit,