Προς Τιμοθεον Α΄ 5
1 Πρεσβυτέρῳ μὴ ἐπιπλήξῃς, ἀλλὰ παρακάλει ὡς πατέρα, νεωτέρους ὡς ἀδελφούς,
Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,
2 πρεσβυτέρας ὡς μητέρας, νεωτέρας ὡς ἀδελφὰς ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ.
older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3 Χήρας τίμα τὰς ὄντως χήρας.
Honor the widows who are truly widows.
4 εἰ δέ τις χήρα τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα ἔχει, μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν καὶ ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις, τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ.
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 ἡ δὲ ὄντως χήρα καὶ μεμονωμένη ἤλπικεν ἐπὶ ⸀θεὸνκαὶ προσμένει ταῖς δεήσεσιν καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας·
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 ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα ζῶσα τέθνηκεν.
But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.
7 καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε, ἵνα ἀνεπίλημπτοι ὦσιν·
Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach.
8 εἰ δέ τις τῶν ἰδίων καὶ ⸀μάλισταοἰκείων οὐ ⸀προνοεῖ τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται καὶ ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων.
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 Χήρα καταλεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή,
A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, the wife of one man,
10 ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς μαρτυρουμένη, εἰ ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν, εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν, εἰ θλιβομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν, εἰ παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησεν.
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 νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηνιάσωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσιν,
But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,
12 ἔχουσαι κρίμα ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν·
and thus will incur judgment because they are setting aside their first faith.
13 ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσιν, περιερχόμεναι τὰς οἰκίας, οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀργαὶ ἀλλὰ καὶ φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι, λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα.
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 βούλομαι οὖν νεωτέρας γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν, μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν διδόναι τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοιδορίας χάριν·
So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.
15 ἤδη γάρ τινες ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ.
For some have already turned aside to follow Satan.
16 εἴ ⸀τιςπιστὴ ἔχει χήρας, ⸀ἐπαρκείτωαὐταῖς, καὶ μὴ βαρείσθω ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἵνα ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκέσῃ.
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 Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν, μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ·
Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
18 λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή· Βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις, καί· Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ.
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 κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων·
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
20 ⸀τοὺςἁμαρτάνοντας ἐνώπιον πάντων ἔλεγχε, ἵνα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ φόβον ἔχωσιν.
But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
21 διαμαρτύρομαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ⸂Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων, ἵνα ταῦτα φυλάξῃς χωρὶς προκρίματος, μηδὲν ποιῶν κατὰ πρόσκλισιν.
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 χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει, μηδὲ κοινώνει ἁμαρτίαις ἀλλοτρίαις· σεαυτὸν ἁγνὸν τήρει.
Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 μηκέτι ὑδροπότει, ἀλλὰ οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ διὰ τὸν ⸀στόμαχονκαὶ τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας.
Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
24 Τινῶν ἀνθρώπων αἱ ἁμαρτίαι πρόδηλοί εἰσιν, προάγουσαι εἰς κρίσιν, τισὶν δὲ καὶ ἐπακολουθοῦσιν·
The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until later.
25 ὡσαύτως καὶ τὰ ⸂ἔργα τὰ καλὰ ⸀πρόδηλα καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα κρυβῆναι οὐ δύνανται.
In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden.
