[That a Bishop Ought to Be Ordained by Three or by Two Bishops, But Not by One; For that Would Be Invalid.]
XX. We command that a bishop be ordained by three bishops, or at least by two; but it is not lawful that he be set over you by one; for the testimony of two or three witnesses is more firm and secure. But a presbyter and a deacon are to be ordained by one bishop and the rest of the clergy. Nor must either a presbyter or a deacon ordain from the laity into the clergy; but the presbyter is only to teach, to offer, to baptize, to bless the people, and the deacon is to minister to the bishop, and to the presbyters, that is, to do the office of a ministering deacon, but not to meddle with the other offices.
[20] Ἐπίσκοπον δὲ προστάσσομεν χειροτονεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τριῶν ἐπισκόπων ἢ τὸ γοῦν ἔλαττον ὑπὸ δύο, μὴ ἐξεῖναι δὲ ὑπὸ ἑνὸς ὑμῖν καθίστασθαι, ἡ γὰρ τῶν δύο καὶ τριῶν μαρτυρία βεβαιοτέρα καὶ ἀσφαλής: πρεσβύτερον δὲ καὶ διάκονον ὑπὸ ἑνὸς ἐπισκόπου καὶ τὸν λοιπὸν κλῆρον. Μήτε πρεσβύτερον μήτε διάκονον χειροτονεῖν ἐκ λαϊκῶν κληρικούς, ἀλλὰ μόνον τὸν μὲν πρεσβύτερον διδάσκειν, ἀναφέρειν, βαπτίζειν, εὐλογεῖν τὸν λαόν, τὸν δὲ διάκονον ἐξυπηρετεῖσθαι, τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις, τοῦτ' ἔστι διακονεῖν, οὐ μὴν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐνεργεῖν.