1 Timothy 5
5
Advice about Widows, Elders, and Slaves
1Never speak harshly to an older man,#5:1 Or an elder. but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. 2Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.
3Take care of#5:3 Or Honor. any widow who has no one else to care for her. 4But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.
5Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help. 6But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives. 7Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism.
8But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.
9A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband.#5:9 Greek was the wife of one husband. 10She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly?#5:10 Greek and washed the feet of God’s holy people? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?
11The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. 12Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. 13And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t. 14So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. 15For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.
16If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.
17Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well,#5:17 Greek should be worthy of double honor. especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”#5:18 Deut 25:4; Luke 10:7.
19Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. 20Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others.
21I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the highest angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone.
22Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader.#5:22 Greek about the laying on of hands. Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.
24Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later. 25In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.
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1 Timothy 5
5
Guidelines for Dealing with Other Christians
1Never use harsh words when you correct an older man, but talk to him as if he were your father. Talk to younger men as if they were your brothers, 2older women as if they were your mothers, and younger women as if they were your sisters, while keeping yourself morally pure.
3Honor widows who have no families. 4The children or grandchildren of a widow must first learn to respect their own family by repaying their parents. This is pleasing in God’s sight.
5A widow who has no family has placed her confidence in God by praying and asking for his help night and day. 6But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead although she is still alive. 7Insist on these things so that widows will have good reputations. 8If anyone doesn’t take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the Christian faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9Any widow who had only one husband and is at least 60 years old should be put on your list ⌞of widows⌟. 10People should tell about the good things she has done: raising children, being hospitable, taking care of believers’ needs, helping the suffering, or always doing good things.
11Don’t include younger widows ⌞on your list⌟. Whenever their natural desires become stronger than their devotion to Christ, they’ll want to marry. 12They condemn themselves by rejecting the Christian faith, the faith they first accepted. 13At the same time, they learn to go around from house to house since they have nothing else to do. Not only this, but they also gossip and get involved in other people’s business, saying things they shouldn’t say.
14So I want younger widows to marry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them. 15Some of them have already turned away to follow Satan. 16If any woman is a believer and has relatives who are widows, she should help them. In this way the church is not burdened and can help widows who have no families.
17Give double honor to spiritual leaders #5:17 Or “pastors,” or “elders.” who handle their duties well. This is especially true if they work hard at teaching God’s word. 18After all, Scripture says, “Never muzzle an ox when it is threshing #5:18 Threshing is the process of beating stalks to separate them from the grain. grain,” and “The worker deserves his pay.”
19Don’t pay attention to an accusation against a spiritual leader unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. 20Reprimand those leaders who sin. Do it in front of everyone so that the other leaders will also be afraid.
21I solemnly call on you in the sight of God, Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels to be impartial when you follow what I’ve told you. Never play favorites.
22Don’t be in a hurry to place your hands on anyone ⌞to ordain him⌟. Don’t participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself morally pure.
23Stop drinking only water. Instead, drink a little wine for your stomach because you are frequently sick.
24The sins of some people are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment. The sins of others follow them there. 25In the same way, the good things that people do are obvious, and those that aren’t obvious can’t remain hidden.
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