5 Do not speak strongly to an older man and tell him what he must do. Instead, ask him in a kind way, as you would speak to your father. Speak to younger men as you would speak to your brothers. 2 Speak to older women as you would speak to your mother. Speak to younger women as you would speak to your sisters. Always respect them properly.
3 Respect those widows in the church who are really alone. 4 If a widow has children or grandchildren, then they should take care of her. The children must help their parents or grandparents because they belong to the same family. Their parents helped them, so they need to give them something in return. The children need to learn that important lesson. It is what God's message teaches them to do and it makes God happy. 5 Some widows are really alone and they have nobody to take care of them. A widow like that trusts God that he will help her. As a result, she prays a lot, at night and during the day, and she asks God to help her. 6 But some widows only want to enjoy themselves. For a widow like that, her spirit is already dead, even while she is still alive.
7 Teach everyone clearly to do these things. Then nobody can say that the believers are doing anything wrong. 8 Every believer must take care of his own family. Certainly, he must do that for the people who live with him in his home. If anyone does not do that, it shows that he has refused God's true message. That person is worse than someone who does not believe in Christ.
9 If you want to put a widow's name on the list of widows, this is what she must be like. She must be more than 60 years old. She must have been the wife of one husband. 10 People should know that she has done good things. For example, she must have been a good mother to her children. She must have received visitors into her home. She must have helped God's people as their servant. She must have taken care of people who had problems. She must have continued to do all kinds of good things like that.
11 But do not put the names of younger widows on the list. They may decide to marry again, because they strongly want to have sex. Then they will no longer choose to serve Christ. 12 As a result, they will stop doing what they had earlier promised to do for the church. That will make them guilty. [ a ]
13 Young widows may learn to be lazy. They may go around from house to house. Not only do they become lazy, but they talk too much about silly things. They talk wrongly about other people and what they are doing. They say things that they ought not to say. 14 So I think that widows who are still young women should marry again. Then they can have children and they can take care of their own homes. If they live well like that, the enemy of God's people will not have a chance to say bad things against us. 15 Some of the younger widows have already turned away from Christ, so that they can obey Satan.
16 A woman who believes in Christ should take care of any widows in her own family. Then the church will not have to do that work. Instead, the church will be able to help those widows who are really alone.
17 Everyone should respect leaders of the believers who lead the church well. [ b ] The church should also pay them properly for their work. That is certainly true for leaders who teach God's people and speak God's message to them. 18 The Bible says: ‘Do not tie shut the mouth of a bull while it walks on your wheat seeds.’ [ c ] The Bible also says: ‘You must pay a worker what his work is worth.’
19 Somebody may tell you that a leader of the believers has done something wrong. But do not accept that as true, unless two or three people say the same thing. 20 If a leader is really guilty and continues to do wrong things, you must warn him. Do that when everyone in the church is there. They will hear what you say, and they will be afraid to do wrong things themselves.
21 I say this to you very strongly: Obey what I am telling you to do. Remember that God himself and Christ Jesus, together with their special angels, are all watching what you do. Do not quickly decide if someone has done right or wrong. Be fair and judge everyone in the same way. 22 Do not hurry to put your hands on anyone to choose him as a leader of the church. Perhaps that man has done something wrong. Then people might think that you agree with his sins. You yourself must always be careful to do what is right and good.
23 I know that you often become ill. So do not drink only water, but drink a little wine. This will help your stomach to keep well.
24 Some people do wrong things that everyone can see clearly. When someone judges those people, everyone already knows that they are guilty. So everybody already knows that it is right to punish those people. But for other people, nobody knows about their sins until later. 25 It is the same with the good things that people do. Many good things are clear for everyone to see. And even the good things that people do secretly will not remain a secret for ever.
5 Don’t speak angrily to an older man. But talk to him as if he were your father. Treat the younger men like brothers. 2 Treat the older women like mothers. And treat the younger women with respect like sisters.
3 Take care of widows who really need help. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, the first thing they need to learn is this: to show their devotion to God by taking care of their own family. They will be repaying their parents, and this pleases God. 5 A widow who really needs help is one who has been left all alone. She trusts God to take care of her. She prays all the time, night and day, and asks God for help. 6 But the widow who uses her life to please herself is really dead while she is still living. 7 Tell the believers there to take care of their family so that no one can say they are doing wrong. 8 Everyone should take care of all their own people. Most important, they should take care of their own family. If they do not do that, then they do not accept what we believe. They are worse than someone who does not even believe in God.
9 To be added to your list of widows, a woman must be 60 years old or older. She must have been faithful to her husband. [ a ] 10 She must be known for the good she has done: raising children, welcoming travelers into her home, serving the needs [ b ] of God’s people, helping those in trouble, and using her life to do all kinds of good.
11 But don’t put younger widows on that list. When their strong physical needs pull them away from their commitment to Christ, they will want to marry again. 12 Then they will be guilty of not doing what they first promised to do. 13 Also, these younger widows begin to waste their time going from house to house. They also begin to gossip and try to run other people’s lives. They say things they should not say. 14 So I want the younger widows to marry, have children, and take care of their homes. If they do this, our enemy will not have any reason to criticize them. 15 But some of the younger widows have already turned away to follow Satan.
16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she [ c ] should take care of them herself. Then the church will not have that burden and will be able to care for the widows who have no one else to help them.
17 The elders who lead the church in a good way should receive double honor [ d ] —in particular, those who do the work of counseling and teaching. 18 As the Scriptures say, “When a work animal is being used to separate grain, don’t keep it from eating the grain.” [ e ] And the Scriptures also say, “A worker should be given his pay.” [ f ]
19 Don’t listen to someone who accuses an elder. You should listen to them only if there are two or three others who can say what the elder did wrong. 20 Tell those who sin that they are wrong. Do this in front of the whole church so that the others will have a warning.
21 Before God and Jesus Christ and the chosen angels, I tell you to make these judgments without any prejudice. Treat every person the same.
22 Think carefully before you lay your hands on anyone to make him an elder. Don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Timothy, stop drinking only water, and drink a little wine. This will help your stomach, and you will not be sick so often.
24 The sins of some people are easy to see. Their sins show that they will be judged. But the sins of some others are seen only later. 25 It is the same with the good things people do. Some are easy to see. But even if they are not obvious now, none of them will stay hidden forever.
5 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.
4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.
10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.
13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.
16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
5 ( A ) Do not sharply rebuke an ( B ) older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, and to ( C ) the younger men as brothers, 2 to the older women as mothers, and to the younger women as sisters, in all purity.
3 Honor widows who are actually ( D ) widows; 4 but if any widow has children or grandchildren, ( E ) they must first learn to show proper respect for their own family and to give back compensation to their parents; for this is ( F ) acceptable in the sight of God. 5 Now she who is actually a ( G ) widow and has been left alone ( H ) has set her hope on God, and she continues in ( I ) requests and prayers night and day. 6 But she who ( J ) indulges herself in luxury is ( K ) dead, even while she lives. 7 [ a ] ( L ) Give these instructions as well, so that they may be above reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has ( M ) denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 A widow is to be ( N ) put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been ( O ) the wife of one man, 10 having a reputation for ( P ) good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has ( Q ) shown hospitality to strangers, if she ( R ) has washed the [ b ] saints’ feet, if she has ( S ) assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. 11 But refuse to register younger widows, for when they feel ( T ) physical desires alienating them from Christ, they want to get married, 12 thereby incurring condemnation, because they have [ c ] ignored their previous pledge. 13 At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also they become ( U ) gossips and ( V ) busybodies, talking about ( W ) things not proper to mention . 14 Therefore, I want younger widows to get ( X ) married, have children, ( Y ) manage their households, and ( Z ) give the enemy no opportunity for reproach; 15 for some ( AA ) have already turned away to follow ( AB ) Satan. 16 If any woman who is a believer ( AC ) has dependent widows, she must ( AD ) assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are actually ( AE ) widows.
17 ( AF ) The elders who ( AG ) lead well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who ( AH ) work hard [ d ] at preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “ ( AI ) You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing ,” and “ ( AJ ) The laborer is worthy of his wages.” 19 Do not accept an accusation against an ( AK ) elder except on the basis of ( AL ) two or three witnesses. 20 Those who continue in sin, ( AM ) rebuke in the presence of all, ( AN ) so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning . 21 ( AO ) I solemnly exhort you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality. 22 ( AP ) Do not lay hands upon anyone too quickly and [ e ] thereby share ( AQ ) responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself [ f ] free from sin.
23 Do not go on drinking only water, but ( AR ) use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
24 The sins of some people are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins ( AS ) follow after. 25 Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and ( AT ) those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.
5 Do not rebuke an older man ( A ) harshly, ( B ) but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men ( C ) as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. ( D ) 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, ( E ) for this is pleasing to God. ( F ) 5 The widow who is really in need ( G ) and left all alone puts her hope in God ( H ) and continues night and day to pray ( I ) and to ask God for help. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. ( J ) 7 Give the people these instructions, ( K ) so that no one may be open to blame. 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied ( L ) the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10 and is well known for her good deeds, ( M ) such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, ( N ) washing the feet ( O ) of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble ( P ) and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
11 As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies ( Q ) who talk nonsense, ( R ) saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, ( S ) to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. ( T ) 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. ( U )
16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need. ( V )
17 The elders ( W ) who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, ( X ) especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” [ a ] ( Y ) and “The worker deserves his wages.” [ b ] ( Z ) 19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder ( AA ) unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. ( AB ) 20 But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove ( AC ) before everyone, so that the others may take warning. ( AD ) 21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus ( AE ) and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, ( AF ) and do not share in the sins of others. ( AG ) Keep yourself pure. ( AH )
23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine ( AI ) because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
24 The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. 25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
