What Does the Bible Say About Deacons?

Acts 6:1-6 ESV / 33 helpful votes

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. ...

1 Timothy 3:8-13 ESV / 27 helpful votes

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. ...

1 Timothy 3:12 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

1 Timothy 3:1-13 ESV / 14 helpful votes

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? ...

John 12:26 ESV / 12 helpful votes

If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Titus 1:6-9 ESV / 11 helpful votes

If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

1 Timothy 3:1-16 ESV / 7 helpful votes

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? ...

Philippians 1:1 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

Acts 2:42 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Matthew 23:11 ESV / 6 helpful votes

The greatest among you shall be your servant.

Revelation 14:12 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

1 Timothy 3:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.

1 Timothy 3:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

Ephesians 2:8 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

James 5:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Is anyone among you sick? 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.

1 Timothy 2:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,

Mark 10:43 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

James 2:24 ESV / 2 helpful votes

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Titus 3:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,

Titus 2:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

Titus 1:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—

1 Timothy 2:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.

1 Timothy 2:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;

Ephesians 5:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

1 Corinthians 14:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.

1 Corinthians 11:1-34 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. ...

1 Corinthians 3:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.

Acts 20:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Acts 20:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.

Acts 16:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

Acts 15:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.

Acts 15:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.

Acts 14:21-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Acts 6:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

Acts 2:38 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah 3:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes

She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore.

Psalm 150:1-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! ...

Revelation 11:1-19 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. ...

1 John 4:1 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV / 1 helpful vote

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Thessalonians 3:2 ESV / 1 helpful vote

And we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith,

Bible Verses about Deacons