Προς Τιμοθεον Α΄ 5
1 Πρεσβυτέρῳ μὴ ἐπιπλήξῃς, ἀλλὰ παρακάλει ὡς πατέρα· νεωτέρους, ὡς ἀδελφούς·
Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers;
2 πρεσβυτέρας, ὡς μητέρας· νεωτέρας, ὡς ἀδελφάς, ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ.
the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.
3 Χήρας τίμα τὰς ὄντως χήρας.
Honour widows who are widows indeed.
4 Εἰ δέ τις χήρα τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα ἔχει, μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν, καὶ ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι καλὸν καὶ ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God.
5 Ἡ δὲ ὄντως χήρα καὶ μεμονωμένη ἤλπικεν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν, καὶ προσμένει ταῖς δεήσεσι καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας.
Now she who is a widow indeed and desolate, has her hope set on God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.
6 Ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκε.
But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives.
7 Καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε, ἵνα ἀνεπίληπτοι ὦσιν.
Also command these things, that they may be without reproach.
8 Εἰ δέ τις τῶν ἰδίων καὶ μάλιστα τῶν οἰκείων οὐ προνοεῖ, τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται, καὶ ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων.
But if anyone doesn’t 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,
Let no one be enrolled as a widow under sixty years old, having been 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 ἐπηκολούθησε.
being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.
11 Νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηνιάσωσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσιν,
But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry,
12 ἔχουσαι κρίμα, ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν.
having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge.
13 Ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσι, περιερχόμεναι τὰς οἰκίας, οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀργαί, ἀλλὰ καὶ φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι, λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα.
Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.
14 Βούλομαι οὖν νεωτέρας γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν, μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν διδόναι τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοιδορίας χάριν.
I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for insulting.
15 Ἤδη γάρ τινες ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ.
For already some have turned away after Satan.
16 Εἴ τις πιστὸς ἢ πιστὴ ἔχει χήρας, ἐπαρκείτω αὐταῖς, καὶ μὴ βαρείσθω ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἵνα ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκέσῃ.
If any man or woman who believes has widows, let them relieve them, and don’t let the assembly be burdened, that it might relieve those who are widows indeed.
17 Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν, μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ.
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in the word and in teaching.
18 Λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή, Βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις· καί, Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ.
For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain.” And, “The labourer is worthy of his wages.”
19 Κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων.
Don’t receive an accusation against an elder except at the word of two or three witnesses.
20 Τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐνώπιον πάντων ἔλεγχε, ἵνα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ φόβον ἔχωσι.
Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
21 Διαμαρτύρομαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων, ἵνα ταῦτα φυλάξῃς χωρὶς προκρίματος, μηδὲν ποιῶν κατὰ πρόσκλισιν.
I command you in the sight of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the chosen angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.
22 Χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει, μηδὲ κοινώνει ἁμαρτίαις ἀλλοτρίαις· σεαυτὸν ἁγνὸν τήρει.
Lay hands hastily on no one. Don’t be a participant in other people’s sins. Keep yourself pure.
23 Μηκέτι ὑδροπότει, ἀλλ᾿ οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ, διὰ τὸν στόμαχόν σου καὶ τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας.
Be no longer a drinker of water only, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.
24 Τινῶν ἀνθρώπων αἱ ἁμαρτίαι πρόδηλοί εἰσι, προάγουσαι εἰς κρίσιν· τισὶ δὲ καὶ ἐπακολουθοῦσιν.
Some men’s sins are evident, preceding them to judgement, and some also follow later.
25 Ὡσαύτως καὶ τὰ καλὰ ἔργα πρόδηλά ἐστι· καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα κρυβῆναι οὐ δύναται.
In the same way also there are good works that are obvious, and those that are otherwise can’t be hidden.
