1 Timothy 5
1 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;
Don't rebuke a man who is older than you. Instead, encourage him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,
2 the elder women too as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, with perfect modesty.
older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with the highest standards of decency.
3 Honour widows who are really in need.
Help widows who don't have a family.
4 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.
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.
5 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;
Now a real widow, having no family, alone and without support, puts her hope in God and prays for help night and day.
6 but a pleasure-loving widow is dead even while still alive.
But a widow who concentrates on pleasing herself is already dead, even though she's still physically alive.
7 Press these facts upon them, so that they may live lives free from reproach.
Give people these instructions so that they will be above criticism.
8 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.
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.
9 No widow is to be put on the roll who is under sixty years of age.
Only widows over sixty who have been faithful to their husbands should be put on the list.
10 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.
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?
11 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,
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.
12 and they incur disapproval for having broken their original vow.
In this they are guilty of breaking their previous commitment.
13 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.
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.
14 I would therefore have the younger women marry, bear children, rule in domestic matters, and furnish the Adversary with no excuse for slander.
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.
15 For already some of them have gone astray, following Satan.
However, some have already gone the way of Satan.
16 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.
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.
17 Let the Elders who perform their duties wisely and well be held worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching.
Elders who direct the church well should be seen as doubly valuable, particularly those who work in speaking the Word and in teaching.
18 For the Scripture says, "You are not to muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain;" and the workman deserves his pay.
As Scripture says, “Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.” Also, “The worker deserves to be paid.”
19 Never entertain an accusation against an Elder except on the evidence of two of three witnesses.
Don't entertain any accusation against an elder unless two or three witnesses support it.
20 Those who persist in sin reprove in the presence of all, so that it may also be a warning to the rest.
Censure those who sin in front of everyone as a warning to others as well.
21 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.
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.
22 Do not ordain any one hastily; and do not be a partaker in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
Don't be in a hurry to lay hands on anyone; and don't get involved in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 (No longer be a water-drinker; but take a little wine for the sake of your digestion and your frequent ailments.)
Don't just drink water, but use a little bit of wine because of your bad stomach—you're sick so often!
24 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.
The sins of some people are really obvious, and they are clearly guilty, but the sins of others are not seen until later.
25 So also the right actions of some are evident to the world, and those that are not cannot remain for ever out of sight.
Similarly some good works are obvious, and even those that are hidden won't be for long.
