So the 12 apostles gathered all the believers together. They said,“ It wouldn’t be right for us to give up teaching God’s word. And we’d have to stop teaching to wait on tables.

十二使徒叫众门徒来，对他们说：“我们撇下神的道去管理饭食，原是不合宜的。

十二使徒叫众门徒来，说：“我们撇下上帝的道去管理饭食，是不合宜的。

十二使徒叫众门徒来，说：“我们撇下神的道去管理饭食，是不合宜的。

于是，十二使徒召集所有的门徒，对他们说：“我们不应该忽略传上帝的道，去管理膳食。

于是十二使徒召集了众门徒，说：“要我们放下神的道，去管理伙食，是不合适的。

于是十二使徒召来全体门徒，说：“我们撇下神的话语，去管理饭食，是不妥当的。

十二使徒叫眾門徒來，對他們說：「我們撇下神的道去管理飯食，原是不合宜的。

十二使徒叫眾門徒來，說：「我們撇下上帝的道去管理飯食，是不合宜的。

十二使徒叫眾門徒來，說：「我們撇下神的道去管理飯食，是不合宜的。

於是，十二使徒召集所有的門徒，對他們說：「我們不應該忽略傳上帝的道，去管理膳食。

於是十二使徒召集了眾門徒，說：“要我們放下神的道，去管理伙食，是不合適的。

十二個人就把那一羣門徒叫來，說：『我們撇下上帝之道，而在飯席上作服事的工，並不是令人愜意的事。

於是十二使徒召來全體門徒，說：「我們撇下神的話語，去管理飯食，是不妥當的。

十二徒召眾門徒曰、我儕遺上帝道、而几筵是役、非宜也、

十二使徒、呼眾門徒、曰、我儕不傳上帝道、而几筵是司、非所宜也、

十二使徒告眾門徒曰、我儕不傳天主道、而司几席非所宜也、

十二宗徒因召同人至、曰：『為几筵之事而曠傳道之職、非所宜也。

So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said,“ It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

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.

So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said,“ We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.

The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said,“ It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables.

So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said,“ It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said,“ It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not fit that we should forsake the word of God, and serve tables.

Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said,“ It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to handle financial matters.

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples[ unto them], and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said,“ It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables.

The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said,“ It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.

Moses’ father- in- law replied,“ What you are doing isn’t good.You will just get worn out. And so will these people who come to you. There’s too much work for you. You can’t possibly handle it by yourself.Listen to me. I’ll give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must speak to God for the people. Take their problems to him.Teach them his rules and instructions. Show them how to live and what to do.But choose men of ability from all the people. They must have respect for God. You must be able to trust them. They must not try to get money by cheating others. Appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.Let them serve the people as judges. But have them bring every hard case to you. They can decide the easy ones themselves. That will make your load lighter. They will share it with you.If this is what God wants and if you do it, then you will be able to carry the load. And all these people will go home satisfied.”Moses listened to his father- in- law. He did everything Jethro said.He chose men of ability from the whole community of Israel. He made them leaders of the people. They became officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses. But they decided the easy ones themselves.

At that time I spoke to you. I said,“ You are too heavy a load for me to carry alone.The Lord your God has caused there to be many of you. Today you are as many as the stars in the sky.The Lord is the God of your people. May he cause there to be a thousand times more of you. May he bless you, just as he promised he would.But I can’t handle your problems and troubles all by myself. I can’t settle your arguments.So choose some wise men from each of your tribes. They must understand how to give good advice. The people must have respect for them. I will appoint those men to have authority over you.”You answered me,“ Your suggestion is good.”

A soldier does not take part in things that don’t have anything to do with the army. Instead, he tries to please his commanding officer.

He asked the Lord,“ Why have you brought this trouble on me? Why aren’t you pleased with me? Why have you loaded me down with the troubles of all these people?Am I like a mother to them? Are they my children? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms? Do I have to carry them the way a nurse carries a baby? Do I have to carry them to the land you promised? You promised the land to their people of long ago.Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep crying out to me. They say,‘ Give us meat to eat!’

So I sent messengers to them with my answer. I replied,“ I’m working on a huge project. So I can’t get away. Why should the work stop while I leave it? Why should I go down and talk with you?”

It doesn’t make sense to send a prisoner on to Rome without listing the charges against him.”

What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.

But Peter and John replied,“ Which is right from God’s point of view? Should we listen to you? Or should we listen to God? You be the judges!