church security

²⁸Take care of yourselves and of the entire flock, over which the Holy Spirit has stationed you as Bishops to rule the Church of God, which he has purchased by his own blood. ²⁹I know that after my departure ravenous wolves will enter among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰And from among yourselves, men will rise up, speaking perverse things in order to entice disciples after them.

²¹When a strong armed man guards his entrance, the things that he possesses are at peace.

²¹But Zechariah, the son of Meshelemiah, was the keeper of the gate of the tabernacle of the testimony. ²²All these, chosen as porters for the gates, were two hundred twelve. And they were recorded in their own towns, those whom David, and the seer Samuel, appointed, in their faith, ²³as with them, so also with their sons, at the gates of the house of the Lord and the tabernacle, by their turns. ²⁴At the four directions, there were gatekeepers, that is, at the east, and at the west, and at the north, and at the south.

⁹And we prayed to our God, and we stationed guards upon the wall, day and night, against them.

¹⁰Then Judah said: “The strength of those who carry has diminished, and the amount of material is very great, and so we will not be able to build the wall.” ¹¹And our enemies said: “Let them neither know, nor realize, until we arrive in their midst, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.” ¹²Now it happened that, on ten occasions, some Jews arrived who were living near them, from all the places from which they came to us, and they told us this. ¹³So I stationed the people in order, in places behind the wall, all around it, with their swords, and lances, and bows. ¹⁴And I gazed around, and I rose up. And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “Do not be afraid before their face. Remember the great and terrible Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons and your daughters, and your wives and your households.” ¹⁵Then it happened that, when our enemies had heard that it had been reported to us, God defeated their counsel. And we all returned to the walls, each one to his own work.

³⁶And they said, “Nothing.” Then he said to them: “But now, let whoever has money take it, and likewise with provisions. And whoever does not have these, let him sell his coat and buy a sword.

¹³No one has a greater love than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.

¹Let every soul be subject to higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those who have been ordained by God. ²And so, whoever resists authority, resists what has been ordained by God. And those who resist are acquiring damnation for themselves. ³For leaders are not a source of fear to those who work good, but to those who work evil. And would you prefer not to be afraid of authority? Then do what is good, and you shall have praise from them. ⁴For he is a minister of God for you unto good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid. For it is not without reason that he carries a sword. For he is a minister of God; an avenger to execute wrath upon whomever does evil.

³The clever saw evil and hid himself. The innocent continued on and was afflicted with damage.

³¹So, what should we say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

¹⁷No object which has been formed to use against you will succeed. And every tongue that resists you in judgment, you shall judge. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and this is their justice with me, says the Lord.