They helped them select elders in each church, and after praying and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Is anyone sick among you? He should call in the elders of the church, and they should pray over him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord,

(if a man does not know how to manage his own house, how can he take care of a church of God?).

For, in the first place, when you meet as a congregation, I hear that there are cliques among you, and I partly believe it.

I would like for all of you to speak in ecstasy, but I would rather that you prophesy. The man who speaks with real prophetic insight renders greater service than the man who speaks in ecstasy, unless the latter explains it, so the congregation may receive an uplift.

Hence, if the whole church has met and everybody speaks in ecstasy, and illiterate people or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are crazy?

Whoever speaks in ecstasy builds up himself alone, but whoever prophesies builds up the congregation too.

So, as you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, you must keep trying to excel for the upbuilding of the church.

But in the public congregation I would rather speak five words with my mind in action, in order to instruct the people too, than ten thousand words in ecstasy.

If they want to find out about something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.

If a Christian woman has widowed relatives, she should help them, and let the church be free from the burden, so that it can help the widows who are really dependent.

They have testified before the church to your love. You will please send them off on their journey in a way befitting the service of God.

And if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as a heathen and as a tax-collector.