1 Timothy 5
5
1Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters with all purity.
The Support of Widows
3Support#5:3 Lit Honor widows#Ex 22:22; Jms 1:27 who are genuinely in need. 4But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God. 5The widow who is truly in need and left all alone has put her hope in God#1Co 7:34 and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; 6however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.#Lk 15:24; Eph 2:1,5; 5:14; Rv 3:1 7Command this also, so that they will be above reproach. 8But if anyone does not provide#Rm 12:17; 2Co 8:21 for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith#Mt 10:33; Php 1:27; 1Tm 1:2; 2Pt 2:1; Jd 4; Rv 2:13 and is worse than an unbeliever.
9No widow is to be enrolled on the list for support unless she is at least sixty years old, has been the wife of one husband, 10and is well known for good works#Mk 14:6; 2Co 9:8; Gl 3:10; Jms 2:14–26 — that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality,#2Jn 10 washed the saints’ feet,#Lk 7:44; Jn 13:5–14 helped the afflicted,#Heb 11:37 and devoted herself to every good work.#2Co 9:8 11But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry#1Tm 5:14 12and will therefore receive condemnation#Mk 12:40 because they have renounced their original pledge. 13At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips#Pr 17:9; 3Jn 10 and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say. 14Therefore, I want younger women to marry,#Gn 2:18–25; 1Co 7:9–10; 1Tm 4:3; 5:11 have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us.#Ti 2:4–5 15For some have already turned away#Heb 12:13 to follow Satan. 16If any#5:16 Other mss add believing man or believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it can help widows in genuine need.
Honoring the Elders
17The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor,#5:17 Or of respect and remuneration especially those who work hard#1Th 5:12 at preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,#5:18Dt 25:4#Dt 25:4; 1Co 9:9 and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”#Lv 19:13; Dt 24:14–15; Mt 10:10; Lk 10:7; 1Co 9:4–14; 2Pt 2:13
19Don’t accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses.#Dt 19:15 20Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will be afraid. 21I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to observe#Lk 11:28 these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism. 22Don’t be too quick to appoint#5:22 Lit to lay hands on#Ex 29:10; Lv 4:15; Lk 4:40; Ac 6:6; 28:8; 1Tm 4:14; Heb 6:2 anyone as an elder, and don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.#Php 4:8 23Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. 24Some people’s sins are obvious, preceding them to judgment,#Mt 12:41; Jn 5:22–30; Heb 9:27 but the sins of others surface#5:24 Lit follow later. 25Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden.
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
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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