1 Timothy 5
1 Do not rebuke/scold older men. Instead, exhort/advise them [respectfully] as you would [exhort/advise] your father. Exhort/advise younger men [gently] as you would exhort/advise your 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 [Exhort/advise] older women [respectfully] as [you would exhort/advise] your mother. [Exhort/advise] younger women [gently] as [you would exhort/advise] your sisters; but you must act in a completely proper way as you do that.
older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with the highest standards of decency.
3 [Make sure that the congregation] takes care of widows who have no one to care for them.
Help widows who don't have a family.
4 If a widow has children or grandchildren, these [children or grandchildren] should learn that they are to take care of their own family first. By doing that they can repay their parents and grandparents for all that they did for them when they were young, because doing that pleases 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 The widows who are really alone and have no one [to help them] confidently expect that God [will help them]. So night and day they pray, earnestly asking [DOU] [God that he will help them and others].
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 widows who just want to have a lot of pleasure are [spiritually] [MET] dead, although they are [physically] alive.
But a widow who concentrates on pleasing herself is already dead, even though she's still physically alive.
7 And tell [the congregation] that [the children or grandchildren should do] these things in order that [no one] can (criticize the believers/say that the believers are doing anything that is wrong).
Give people these instructions so that they will be above criticism.
8 If anyone does not take care of those who live in his own house, and especially if he does not take care of his own family, he has (denied/quit believing) what we believe and [we should consider that] he is worse than a person who does not believe [in Christ].
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 [You have a list of] widows [who will do work for the congregation and receive money]. Put women’s names on the list [only if] they are more than 60 years old, and if they were faithful to their husbands.
Only widows over sixty who have been faithful to their husbands should be put on the list.
10 [Put women’s names on that list only] if it is known that they have wholeheartedly done every kind of good deed, if they have helped [children] who were afflicted/suffering, if they have (brought up/cared for) their children [properly/well], if they have welcomed and cared for guests, and if they have humbly served [MTY] other believers.
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 As for younger widows, do not put their names on that list, because they [promise to do work for the congregation, but instead of doing that, they usually] want to marry [again] (OR, marry an unbeliever) when they have a strong desire to get married.
Don't take on widows who are younger, because when their physical desires make them want to remarry they abandon their dedication to Christ.
12 If that happens, they may become guilty of not having done what they had promised [to do for the congregation] (OR, promised [Christ that they would do].)
In this they are guilty of breaking their previous commitment.
13 In addition, they [generally] become lazy. Specifically, as they [just] go about from house to house, they also begin (to gossip/to talk about people) and to meddle in other people’s affairs, saying what they should not say.
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 So I advise that [instead of putting the names of younger widows on the list, they] marry again, that they bear/have children, that they manage their homes [well], and that they do nothing for which an enemy can say bad things about [them].
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 [I say this] because some [younger widows] have stopped [obeying Christ] in order to obey Satan.
However, some have already gone the way of Satan.
16 If any woman who believes [in Christ] has widows [in her household/family], she should take care of them. The congregation should not be burdened by having {She should not depend on the congregation} to take care of their [needs]. The congregation should take care of the widows who truly [have no one to care for them].
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 [Each congregation] should pay well the elders who lead [well. They should] greatly honor them, especially those who preach and those who teach.
Elders who direct the church well should be seen as doubly valuable, particularly those who work in speaking the Word and in teaching.
18 [Long ago Moses] wrote in the Scriptures, “While an ox is threshing [grain], you must not tie its mouth [so that it cannot eat the grain],” and [Jesus said], “[People] should pay those who work [for their benefit].” [So we know that congregations should support their leaders].
As Scripture says, “Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.” Also, “The worker deserves to be paid.”
19 When some person accuses an elder [about doing wrong], accept what he says only if there are [at least] two or three persons who (testify/say [that]) [they saw him do that wrong].
Don't entertain any accusation against an elder unless two or three witnesses support it.
20 But as for any [elder] who repeatedly sins, rebuke him before the whole congregation, in order that the rest [of the elders] will be afraid [to sin].
Censure those who sin in front of everyone as a warning to others as well.
21 I solemnly tell you that [as you keep in mind that] God and Christ Jesus and the holy angels know everything that you do, obey these commands [about elders]! [As you consider what others say about an elder doing wrong], do not easily/quickly decide that what they say is true. And treat them all equally.
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 be in a hurry to put your hands on a man ([to set him apart/to appoint him]) [as an elder. Wait until you have examined him to see how he conducts his life], because [God will consider] that you are responsible if [you approve] a person who sins, saying that he should [become an elder]. Keep your life pure in every way.
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 [And Timothy], no longer drink [only] water, but instead, drink a little wine [also], because [that may help to cure] your stomach’s frequent illnesses.
Don't just drink water, but use a little bit of wine because of your bad stomach—you're sick so often!
24 [I tell you not] ([to set apart/appoint]) [elders hastily, without seeing how they conduct their lives, because] some people [sin secretly], so that it is not known what they have done until after someone examines them (OR, before God judges them). But some people sin openly, so that people know what they have done before anyone examines them.
The sins of some people are really obvious, and they are clearly guilty, but the sins of others are not seen until later.
25 Similarly, although [some people] do good things openly, with the result that people know what they have done, some people [do good things secretly], yet the good things that they have done cannot remain secret either.
Similarly some good works are obvious, and even those that are hidden won't be for long.
