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 reprimand an older man, but plead with him as if he were your father. Treat the young men as brothers,
2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with the highest standards of decency.
the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters – with all purity.
3 Help widows who don't have a family.
Show consideration for widows – I mean those who are really widowed.
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, they should 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.
5 Now a real widow, having no family, alone and without support, puts her hope in God and prays for help night and day.
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.
6 But a widow who concentrates on pleasing herself is already dead, even though she's still physically alive.
But the life of a widow who is devoted to pleasure is a living death.
7 Give people these instructions so that they will be above criticism.
Those are the points you should teach, so that there may be no call for your censure.
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.
Anyone who fails to provide for their own relatives, and especially for those under their own roof, has disowned 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.
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,
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?
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.
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 you should exclude the younger widows from the list; for, when they grow restive under the yoke of the Christ, they want to marry,
12 In this they are guilty of breaking their previous commitment.
and so they bring condemnation on themselves for having broken their previous promise.
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.
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 busybodies, and talk of what they ought not.
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.
Therefore I advise young widows to marry, bear children, and attend to their homes, and so avoid giving the enemy an opportunity for scandal.
15 However, some have already gone the way of Satan.
There are some who have already left us, to follow 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.
Any Christian woman, who has relatives 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.
17 Elders who direct the church well should be seen as doubly valuable, particularly those who work in speaking the Word and in teaching.
Those church elders who fill their office well should be held deserving of especial consideration, particularly those whose work lies in preaching and teaching.
18 As Scripture says, “Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.” Also, “The worker deserves to be paid.”
The words of scripture are – ‘You should not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain.’ and again – ‘The worker is worth their wages.’
19 Don't entertain any accusation against an elder unless two or three witnesses support it.
Do not entertain a charge against an church elder, unless it is supported by two or three witnesses;
20 Censure those who sin in front of everyone as a warning to others as well.
but rebuke offenders publicly, so that others may take warning.
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 charge you solemnly, before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels, to carry out these directions, unswayed by prejudice, never acting with partiality.
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.
Never ordain anyone hastily, and take no part in the wrongdoing of others. Keep your life pure.
23 Don't just drink water, but use a little bit of wine because of your bad stomach—you're sick so often!
Do not continue to drink water only, but take a little wine because of the weakness of your stomach, and your frequent ailments.
24 The sins of some people are really obvious, and they are clearly guilty, but the sins of others are not seen until later.
There are some people whose sins are conspicuous and lead on to judgment, while there are others whose sins dog their steps.
25 Similarly some good works are obvious, and even those that are hidden won't be for long.
In the same way noble deeds become conspicuous, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.
