In Apostolic Constitutions 2.26 (c. 375-390) reads as follows:
XXVI. The bishop, he is the minister of the word, the keeper of
knowledge, the mediator between God and you in the several parts of your divine
worship. He is the teacher of piety; and, next after God, he is your father,
who has begotten you again to the adoption of sons by water and the Spirit. He
is your ruler and governor; he is your king and potentate; he is, next after
God, your earthly god, who has a right to be honoured by you. For concerning
him, arid such as he, it is that God pronounces, “I have said, Ye are gods; and
ye are all children of the Most High.” And, “Ye shall not speak evil of the gods.”
For let the bishop preside over you as one honoured with the authority of God,
which he is to exercise over the clergy, and by which he is to govern all the
people. But let the deacon minister to him, as Christ does to His Father; and
let him serve him unblameably in all things, as Christ does nothing of Himself,
but does always those things that please His Father. Let also the deaconess be
honoured by you in the place of the Holy Ghost, and not do or say anything
without the deacon; as neither does the Comforter say or do anything of
Himself, but gives glory to Christ by waiting for His pleasure. And as we
cannot believe on Christ without the teaching of the Spirit, so let not any
woman address herself to the deacon or bishop without the deaconess. Let the
presbyters be esteemed by you to represent us the apostles, and let them be the
teachers of divine knowledge; since our Lord, when He sent us, said, “Go ye,
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you.” Let the widows and orphans be esteemed as
representing the altar of burnt-offering; and let the virgins be honoured as
representing the altar of incense, and the incense itself.
The following is the Greek of this and related texts as provided in Charles Gore, The Church and Ministry, ed. C. H. Turner (rev ed.; London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1919), 140 n. 1 (click to enlarge):
