Titus 1:5

St. Paul explains how his apostolic ministry would be carried on by Christian leaders who succeeded and survived him. He designates Titus to serve as Bishop of Crete, directing him to appoint elders and bishops. “Elder” (Greek: presbyteroi) is a term that was sometimes used interchangeably in the earliest days of the Church with “bishops,” but which was eventually used to describe just the ordained priesthood; the English term “priest” or “presbyter” is derived from the Greek word for “elder.” Indeed, bishops were clearly distinguished from elders as the Church’s highest leaders by the end of the first century A.D., as Pope St. Clement and St. Ignatius of Antioch convey in their respective letters.

Similarly, St. Luke notes that the apostles Paul and Barnabas “appointed elders for them in every church” in Antioch and neighboring regions (Acts 14:23).