1 Timothy 5
5
Rules for Living with Others
1Do not speak angrily to an older man, but talk to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men like brothers. 2Treat older women like mothers, and younger women like sisters. Always treat them in a pure way.
3Take care of widows who are all alone. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, the first thing they need to learn is to do their duty to their own family. When they do this, they will be repaying their parents or grandparents. That pleases God. 5If a widow is all alone and without help, then she puts her hope in God and prays night and day for God’s help. 6But the widow who uses her life to please herself is really dead while she is still living. 7Tell the believers there to do these things so that no one can say they are doing wrong. 8A believer should take care of his own relatives, especially his own family. If he does not do that, he has turned against the faith. He is worse than a person who does not believe in God.
9To be on your list of widows, a woman must be 60 years old or older. She must have been faithful to her husband. 10She must be known as a woman who has done good works. By this, I mean good works such as raising her children, accepting visitors in her home, washing the feet of God’s people, helping those in trouble, and using her life to do all kinds of good deeds.
11But do not put younger widows on that list. After they give themselves to Christ, they are often pulled away from him by their physical desires. And then they want to marry again. 12And they will be judged for not doing what they first promised to do. 13Also, those younger widows begin to waste their time going from house to house. They begin to gossip and busy themselves with other people’s lives. They say things that they should not say. 14So I want the younger widows to marry, have children, and take care of their homes. If they do this, then no enemy will have any reason to criticize them. 15But some of the younger widows have already turned away to follow Satan.
16If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, then she should care for them herself. The church should not have to care for them. Then the church will be able to care for the widows who have no living family.
17The elders who lead the church well should receive great honor. Those who work hard by speaking and teaching especially should receive great honor. 18For the Scripture says, “When an ox is working in the grain, do not cover its mouth to keep it from eating.”# Quotation from Deuteronomy 25:4. And the Scripture also says, “A worker should be given his pay.”# Quotation from Luke 10:7.
19Do not listen to someone who accuses an elder, unless there are two or three other persons who say he did wrong. 20Tell those who keep on sinning that they are wrong. Do this in front of the whole church so that the others will have a warning.
21Before God and Jesus Christ and the chosen angels, I command you to do these things. Be careful to do them without showing favor to anyone.
22Think carefully before you lay your hands on# A sign of giving authority or power to another person. anyone for the Lord’s service. Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23Timothy, you stop drinking only water and drink a little wine. This will help your stomach, and you will not be sick so often.
24The sins of some people are easy to see even before they are judged. But the sins of others are seen only later. 25So also good deeds are easy to see. But even when they are not easy to see, they cannot stay hidden.
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1 Timothy 5
5
1Do not rebuke an older man but exhort him as you would a father; treat younger men like brothers, 2older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity.
3Honor widows who are real widows. 4If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. 5She who is a real widow, and is left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day; 6whereas she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7Command this, so that they may be without reproach. 8If any one does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband; 10and she must be well attested for her good deeds, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way. 11But refuse to enrol younger widows; for when they grow wanton against Christ they desire to marry, 12and so they incur condemnation for having violated their first pledge. 13Besides that, they learn to be idlers, gadding about from house to house, and not only idlers but gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. 14So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, rule their households, and give the enemy no occasion to revile us. 15For some have already strayed after Satan. 16If any believing woman#5.16 Other ancient authorities read man or woman; others, simply man has relatives who are widows, let her assist them; let the church not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are real widows.
17Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching; 18#Deut 25.4; 1 Cor 9.9; Mt 10.10; Lk 10.7; 1 Cor 9.14. for the scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” 19#Deut 19.15. Never admit any charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without favor, doing nothing from partiality. 22Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor participate in another man's sins; keep yourself pure.
23No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
24The sins of some men are conspicuous, pointing to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25So also good deeds are conspicuous; and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America