1 Timothy 5
1 Don't rebuke a man who is older than you. Instead, encourage him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,
Do not scold an older man. Instead, exhort him as if he were a father. Exhort younger men as if they were brothers.
2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with the highest standards of decency.
Exhort older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters in all purity.
3 Help widows who don't have a family.
Honor widows, the real widows.
4 For the Christian responsibility of a widow's children or grandchildren is to do their duty for their own family, and repay their parents by helping them out. This is what pleases God.
But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show honor in their own household. Let them repay their parents, because this is pleasing to God.
5 Now a real widow, having no family, alone and without support, puts her hope in God and prays for help night and day.
But a real widow is left all alone. She puts her certain hope in God. She always remains with requests and prayers both night and day.
6 But a widow who concentrates on pleasing herself is already dead, even though she's still physically alive.
However, the woman who lives for pleasure is dead, even though she is still alive.
7 Give people these instructions so that they will be above criticism.
Give these instructions as well, so that they may be blameless.
8 But those who don't look after their relatives, especially their own family, have denied their beliefs, and are worse than those who don't believe.
But if someone does not provide for his own relatives, especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Only widows over sixty who have been faithful to their husbands should be put on the list.
Let a woman be enrolled as a widow who is not younger than sixty, a wife of one husband.
10 The widow should have a reputation for doing good. Did she bring up children properly? Has she been hospitable? Has she washed the feet of church members? Has she helped those who were in trouble? Has she really tried to do good in every way?
She must be known for good deeds, whether it is that she has cared for children, or has been hospitable to strangers, or has washed the feet of the saints, or has relieved the afflicted, or has been devoted to every good work.
11 Don't take on widows who are younger, because when their physical desires make them want to re-marry they abandon their dedication to Christ.
But as for younger widows, refuse to enroll them in the list. For when they give in to bodily desires against Christ, they want to marry.
12 In this they are guilty of breaking their previous commitment.
In this way they incur guilt because they revoke their first commitment.
13 They also get used to a lazy life, just visiting each other in their homes. Not only lazy, but they gossip and meddle, talking about things they shouldn't.
At the same time, they also learn to be lazy and they go around from house to house. They not only become lazy, but they also talk nonsense and are busybodies, saying things they should not say.
14 So my best advice is that younger widows marry and have children and take care of the home. That way there's no opportunity for criticism from the Enemy.
I therefore want younger women to marry, to bear children, to manage the household, and to give no opportunity for the enemy to slander us.
15 However, some have already gone the way of Satan.
For some have already turned aside after Satan.
16 Any Christian woman who has widows in the family should help them, so that the church is not burdened with the responsibility, and can help those widows who are truly in need.
If any believing woman has widows, let her help them, so that the church will not be weighed down, so that it might help the real widows.
17 Elders who direct the church well should be seen as doubly valuable, particularly those who work in speaking the Word and in teaching.
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work with the word and in teaching.
18 As Scripture says, “Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.” Also, “The worker deserves to be paid.”
For the scripture says, “You shall not put a muzzle on an ox while it treads the grain” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
19 Don't entertain any accusation against an elder unless two or three witnesses support it.
Do not receive an accusation against an elder unless there are two or three witnesses.
20 Censure those who sin in front of everyone as a warning to others as well.
Correct sinners before all so that the rest may be afraid.
21 Before God and Christ Jesus, and the holy angels, I instruct you to follow these instructions without bias. Don't do anything from an attitude of favoritism.
I solemnly command you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels, to keep these commands without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
22 Don't be in a hurry to lay hands on anyone; and don't get involved in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
Place hands hastily on no one. Do not share in the sins of another person. You should keep yourself pure.
23 Don't just drink water, but use a little bit of wine because of your bad stomach—you're sick so often!
You should no longer drink water. Instead, you should take a little wine for the stomach and your frequent sicknesses.
24 The sins of some people are really obvious, and they are clearly guilty, but the sins of others are not seen until later.
The sins of some people are openly known, and they go before them into judgment. But some sins follow later.
25 Similarly some good works are obvious, and even those that are hidden won't be for long.
Likewise, some good works are openly known, but even the others cannot be hidden.
