1 Timothy 5
5
How To Act toward Others
1Don't correct an older man. Encourage him, as you would your own father. Treat younger men as you would your own brother, 2and treat older women as you would your own mother. Show the same respect to younger women that you would to your sister.
3Take care of any widow who is really in need. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn to serve God by taking care of her, as she once took care of them. This is what God wants them to do. 5#Jdt 8.4-6. A widow who is really in need is one who doesn't have any relatives. She has faith in God, and she keeps praying to him night and day, asking for his help.
6A widow who thinks only about having a good time is already dead, even though she is still alive.
7Tell all this to everyone, so they will do the right thing. 8People who don't take care of their relatives, and especially their own families, have given up their faith. They are worse than someone who doesn't have faith in the Lord.
9For a widow to be put on the list of widows, she must be at least 60 years old, and she must have been faithful in marriage.#5.9 been faithful in marriage: Or “been the wife of only one husband.” 10She must also be well-known for doing all sorts of good things, such as raising children, giving food to strangers, welcoming God's people into her home,#5.10 welcoming God's people into her home: The Greek text has “washing the feet of God's people.” In New Testament times most people either went barefoot or wore sandals, and a host would often wash the feet of special guests. helping people in need, and always making herself useful.
11Don't put young widows on the list. They may later have a strong desire to get married. Then they will turn away from Christ 12and become guilty of breaking their promise to him. 13Besides, they will become lazy and get into the habit of going from house to house. Next, they will start gossiping and become busybodies, talking about things that are none of their business.
14I would prefer that young widows get married, have children, and look after their families. Then the enemy won't have any reason to say insulting things about us. 15Look what's already happened to some of the young widows! They have turned away to follow Satan.
16If a woman who is a follower has any widows in her family, she#5.16 woman … she: Some manuscripts have “man or woman … that person.” should help them. This will keep the church from having that burden, and then the church can help widows who are really in need.
Church Leaders
17Church leaders#5.17 church leaders: Or “elders” or “presbyters.” who do their job well deserve to be paid#5.17 paid: Or “honored” or “respected.” twice as much, especially if they work hard at preaching and teaching. 18#Dt 25.4; Mt 10.10; Lk 10.7. It is just as the Scriptures say, “Don't muzzle an ox when you are using it to grind grain.” You also know the saying, “Workers are worth their pay.”
19 #
Dt 17.5-7; 19.15. Don't listen to any charge against a church leader, unless at least two or three people bring the same charges. 20But if any of the leaders should keep on sinning, they must be corrected in front of the whole group, as a warning to everyone else.
21In the presence of God and Christ Jesus and their chosen angels, I order you to follow my instructions! Be fair with everyone, and don't have any favorites.
22Don't be too quick to accept people into the service of the Lord#5.22 to accept people into the service of the Lord: Or “to forgive people.” by placing your hands on them.
Don't sin because others do, but stay close to God.
23Stop drinking only water. Take a little wine to help your stomach trouble and the other illnesses you often have.
24Some people get caught in their sins almost at once, even before the time of judgment. But other people's sins don't show up until later. 25It is the same with good deeds. Some are easily seen, but none of them can be hidden.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
1 Timothy 5
5
Instructions for the Church
1 # [Lev. 19:32] Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, #Titus 2:6younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
3Honor widows #ver. 5, 16who are truly widows. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn #Matt. 15:4-6; Mark 7:10-13; Eph. 6:1, 2; [Gen. 45:9-11] to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for #ch. 2:3this is pleasing in the sight of God. 5She #ver. 3, 16 who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and #[Luke 2:37; 18:1-5]continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6but #James 5:5; [Ezek. 16:49] she who is self-indulgent is #Rev. 3:1dead even while she lives. 7#ch. 4:11; 6:2Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for #See Gal. 6:10 members of his household, he has #Rev. 2:13; [2 Tim. 3:5; Titus 1:16; 2 Pet. 2:1; Rev. 3:8]denied 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 #[ch. 3:2]the wife of one husband,#5:9 Or a woman of one man 10and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has #[See ver. 9 above] shown hospitality, #See Gen. 18:4 has washed the feet of the saints, has #ver. 16 cared for the afflicted, and has #[ch. 6:18]devoted herself to every good work. 11But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when #[Rev. 18:3, 7, 9]their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry 12and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. 13Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also #3 John 10 (Gk.) gossips and #2 Thess. 3:11; 1 Pet. 4:15busybodies, saying what they should not. 14So I would have #[1 Cor. 7:9] younger widows marry, bear children, #[Titus 2:5] manage their households, and #ch. 6:1; Titus 2:5, 8give the adversary no occasion for slander. 15#[ch. 1:20]For some have already strayed after Satan. 16If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those #ver. 3, 5who are truly widows.
17Let the elders #Rom. 12:8; 1 Thess. 5:12; [1 Cor. 12:28] who rule well be considered worthy of #Deut. 21:17double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, #1 Cor. 9:9; Cited from Deut. 25:4 “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, #Matt. 10:10; Luke 10:7; [Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:15; 1 Cor. 9:4, 7-14]“The laborer deserves his wages.” 19Do not admit a charge against an elder except #See Deut. 19:15on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20As for those who persist in sin, #Titus 1:13; 2:15 rebuke them in the presence of all, #Deut. 13:11so that the rest may stand in fear. 21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels #ch. 6:13; 2 Tim. 2:14; 4:1 I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, #See 2 Cor. 5:16doing nothing from partiality. 22#[ch. 3:10] Do not be hasty in the #See Acts 6:6 laying on of hands, nor #[2 John 11]take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23(No longer drink only water, but #[ch. 3:8] use a little wine #Ps. 104:15for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25So also good works are conspicuous, and #[Ps. 37:6; Prov. 10:9]even those that are not cannot remain hidden.
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