1 Timothy 5
1 Do not reprimand an older man, but plead with him as if he were your father. Treat the young men as brothers,
Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,
2 the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters — with all purity.
older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3 Show consideration for widows — I mean those who are really widowed.
Honor the widows who are truly widows.
4 but, if a widow has children or grand-children, let them learn to show proper regard for the members of their own family first, and to make some return to their parents; for that is pleasing in God’s sight.
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.
5 As for the woman who is really widowed and left quite alone, her hopes are fixed on God, and she devotes herself to prayers and supplications night and day.
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.
6 But the life of a widow who is devoted to pleasure is a living death.
But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.
7 Those are the points on which you should dwell, that there may be no call for your censure.
Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach.
8 Any one who fails to provide for his own relations, and especially for those under his own roof, has disowned the Faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.
If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 A widow, when her name is added to the list, should not be less than sixty years old; she should have been a faithful wife,
A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, the wife of one man,
10 and be well spoken of for her kind actions. She should have brought up children, have shown hospitality to strangers, have washed the feet of her fellow Christians, have relieved those who were in distress, and devoted herself to every kind of good action.
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.
11 But you should exclude the younger widows from the list; for, when they grow restive under the yoke of the Christ, they want to marry,
But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,
12 and so they bring condemnation upon themselves for having broken their previous promise.
and thus will incur judgment because they are setting aside their first faith.
13 And not only that, but they learn to be idle as they go about from house to house. Nor are they merely idle, but they also become gossips and busy-bodies, and talk of what they ought not.
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.
14 Therefore I advise young widows to marry, bear children, and attend to their homes, and so avoid giving the enemy an opportunity for scandal.
So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.
15 There are some who have already left us, to follow Satan.
For some have already turned aside to follow Satan.
16 Any Christian woman, who has relations who are widows, ought to relieve them and not allow them to become a burden to the Church, so that the Church may relieve those widows who are really widowed.
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.
17 Those Officers of the Church who fill their office well should be held deserving of especial consideration, particularly those whose work lies in preaching and teaching.
Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
18 The words of Scripture are — ‘Thou shalt not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain.’ and again — ‘The worker is worth his wages.’
For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”
19 Do not receive a charge against an Officer of the Church, unless it is supported by two or three witnesses;
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
20 but rebuke offenders publicly, so that others may take warning.
But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
21 I charge you solemnly, before God and Christ Jesus and the Chosen Angels, to carry out these directions, unswayed by prejudice, never acting with partiality.
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.
22 Never ordain any one hastily, and take no part in the wrong-doing of others. Keep your life pure.
Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Do not continue to drink water only, but take a little wine on account of the weakness of your stomach, and your frequent ailments.
Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
24 There are some men whose sins are conspicuous and lead on to judgment, while there are others whose sins dog their steps.
The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until later.
25 In the same way noble deeds become conspicuous, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.
In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden.
