Chapter 42

The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ was sent from God.

The Christ therefore is from God and the Apostles from the Christ. In both ways, then, they were in accordance with the appointed order of God’s will.

Having· therefore received their commands, and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with faith confirmed by the word of God, they went forth in the assurance of the Holy Spirit preaching the good news that the Kingdom of God is coming.

They preached from district to district, and from city to city, and they appointed their first converts, testing them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of the future believers.

And this was no new method, for many years before had bishops and deacons been written of; for the scripture says thus in one place I will establish their bishops in righteousness, and their deacons in faith.