For the overseer ¹  must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, ²  not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.

He ¹  shouted with a powerful voice: “Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great! She ²  has become a lair for demons, a haunt ³  for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detested beast. ⁴ 

then you plunge me into a slimy pit ¹  and my own clothes abhor me.

There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed ¹  from their filthiness. ² 

Look, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent; the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting. ¹ 

I will pelt you with filth; ¹  I will treat you with contempt; I will make you a public spectacle.

Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices

Yet these men, ¹  as a result of their dreams, ²  defile the flesh, reject authority, ³  and insult ⁴  the glorious ones. ⁵ 

You have seen their detestable things ¹  and idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold.) ² 

For your hands are stained with blood and your fingers with sin; your lips speak lies, your tongue utters malicious words.

I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you among various countries; I will remove your impurity from you. ¹ 

I will do these things to you ¹  because you engaged in prostitution with the nations, polluting yourself with their idols.

I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it; I will not bring a famine on you.

Therefore God gave them over ¹  in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor ²  their bodies among themselves. ³ 

Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, ¹  and I will welcome ²  you, ³ 

But ¹  among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, ²  or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. ³ 

Deacons likewise must be dignified, ¹  not two-faced, ²  not given to excessive drinking, ³  not greedy for gain,

who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught.

Give a shepherd’s care to ¹  God’s flock among you, exercising oversight ²  not merely as a duty ³  but willingly under God’s direction, ⁴  not for shameful profit but eagerly.

Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers ¹  and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood! ²