1 Timothy 5
1 Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,
Never administer a sharp reprimand to a man older than yourself; but entreat him as if he were your father, and the younger men as brothers;
2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
the elder women too as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, with perfect modesty.
3 Honor the widows who are truly widows.
Honour widows who are really in need.
4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let these learn first to show piety towards their own homes and to prove their gratitude to their parents; for this is well pleasing in the sight of God.
5 The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.
A widow who is really in need, friendless and desolate, has her hopes fixed on God, and continues at her supplications and prayers, night and day;
6 But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.
but a pleasure-loving widow is dead even while still alive.
7 Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach.
Press these facts upon them, so that they may live lives free from reproach.
8 If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
But if a man makes no provision for those dependent on him, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is behaving worse than an unbeliever.
9 A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, the wife of one man,
No widow is to be put on the roll who is under sixty years of age.
10 and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work.
She must have been true to her one husband, and well reported of for good deeds, as having brought up children, received strangers hospitably, washed the feet of God's people, given relief to the distressed, and devoted herself to good works of every kind.
11 But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,
But the younger widows you must not enrol; for as soon as they begin to chafe against the yoke of Christ, they want to marry,
12 and thus will incur judgment because they are setting aside their first faith.
and they incur disapproval for having broken their original vow.
13 At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.
And at the same time they also learn to be idle as they go round from house to house; and they are not only idle, but are gossips also and busybodies, speaking of things that ought not to be spoken of.
14 So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.
I would therefore have the younger women marry, bear children, rule in domestic matters, and furnish the Adversary with no excuse for slander.
15 For some have already turned aside to follow Satan.
For already some of them have gone astray, following Satan.
16 If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need.
If a believing woman has widows dependent on her, she should relieve their wants, and save the Church from being burdened--so that the Church may relieve the widows who are really in need.
17 Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
Let the Elders who perform their duties wisely and well be held worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching.
18 For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”
For the Scripture says, "You are not to muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain;" and the workman deserves his pay.
19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Never entertain an accusation against an Elder except on the evidence of two of three witnesses.
20 But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
Those who persist in sin reprove in the presence of all, so that it may also be a warning to the rest.
21 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.
I solemnly call upon you, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, to carry out these instructions of mine without prejudice, and to do nothing from partiality.
22 Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
Do not ordain any one hastily; and do not be a partaker in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
23 Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
(No longer be a water-drinker; but take a little wine for the sake of your digestion and your frequent ailments.)
24 The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until later.
The sins of some men are evident to the world, leading the way to your estimate of their characters, but the sins of others lag behind.
25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden.
So also the right actions of some are evident to the world, and those that are not cannot remain for ever out of sight.
