1 Timothy 5
5
The Family of Faith
1-2Don’t be harsh or impatient with an older man. Talk to him as you would your own father, and to the younger men as your brothers. Reverently honor an older woman as you would your mother, and the younger women as sisters.
3-8Take care of widows who are destitute. If a widow has family members to take care of her, let them learn that religion begins at their own doorstep and that they should pay back with gratitude some of what they have received. This pleases God immensely. You can tell a legitimate widow by the way she has put all her hope in God, praying to him constantly for the needs of others as well as her own. But a widow who exploits people’s emotions and pocketbooks—well, there’s nothing to her. Tell these things to the people so that they will do the right thing in their extended family. Anyone who neglects to care for family members in need repudiates the faith. That’s worse than refusing to believe in the first place.
9-10Sign some widows up for the special ministry of offering assistance. They will in turn receive support from the church. They must be over sixty, married only once, and have a reputation for helping out with children, strangers, tired Christians, the hurt and troubled.
11-15Don’t put young widows on this list. No sooner will they get on than they’ll want to get off, obsessed with wanting to get a husband rather than serving Christ in this way. By breaking their word, they’re liable to go from bad to worse, frittering away their days on empty talk, gossip, and trivialities. No, I’d rather the young widows go ahead and get married in the first place, have children, manage their homes, and not give critics any foothold for finding fault. Some of them have already left and gone after Satan.
16Any Christian woman who has widows in her family is responsible for them. They shouldn’t be dumped on the church. The church has its hands full already with widows who need help.
* * *
17-18Give a bonus to leaders who do a good job, especially the ones who work hard at preaching and teaching. Scripture tells us, “Don’t muzzle a working ox” and “A worker deserves his pay.”
19Don’t listen to a complaint against a leader that isn’t backed up by two or three responsible witnesses.
20If anyone falls into sin, call that person on the carpet. Those who are inclined that way will know right off they can’t get by with it.
21-23God and Jesus and angels all back me up in these instructions. Carry them out without favoritism, without taking sides. Don’t appoint people to church leadership positions too hastily. If a person is involved in some serious sins, you don’t want to become an unwitting accomplice. In any event, keep a close check on yourself. And don’t worry too much about what the critics will say. Go ahead and drink a little wine, for instance; it’s good for your digestion, good medicine for what ails you.
24-25The sins of some people are blatant and march them right into court. The sins of others don’t show up until much later. The same with good deeds. Some you see right off, but none are hidden forever.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
1 Timothy 5
5
1An aged person thou mayest not rebuke, but be entreating as a father; younger persons as brethren;
2aged women as mothers, younger ones as sisters — in all purity;
3honour widows who are really widows;
4and if any widow have children or grandchildren, let them learn first to their own house to show piety, and to give back a recompense to the parents, for this is right and acceptable before God.
5And she who is really a widow and desolate, hath hoped upon God, and doth remain in the supplications and in the prayers night and day,
6and she who is given to luxury, living — hath died;
7and these things charge, that they may be blameless;
8and if any one for his own — and especially for those of the household — doth not provide, the faith he hath denied, and than an unbeliever he is worse.
9A widow — let her not be enrolled under sixty years of age, having been a wife of one husband,
10in good works being testified to: if she brought up children, if she entertained strangers, if saints' feet she washed, if those in tribulation she relieved, if every good work she followed after;
11and younger widows be refusing, for when they may revel against the Christ, they wish to marry,
12having judgment, because the first faith they did cast away,
13and at the same time also, they learn [to be] idle, going about the houses; and not only idle, but also tattlers and busybodies, speaking the things they ought not;
14I wish, therefore, younger ones to marry, to bear children, to be mistress of the house, to give no occasion to the opposer to reviling;
15for already certain did turn aside after the Adversary.
16If any believing man or believing woman have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the assembly be burdened, that those really widows it may relieve.
17The well-leading elders of double honour let them be counted worthy, especially those labouring in word and teaching,
18for the Writing saith, ‘An ox treading out thou shalt not muzzle,’ and ‘Worthy [is] the workman of his reward.’
19Against an elder an accusation receive not, except upon two or three witnesses.
20Those sinning, reprove before all, that the others also may have fear;
21I testify fully, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the choice messengers, that these things thou mayest keep, without forejudging, doing nothing by partiality.
22Be laying hands quickly on no one, nor be having fellowship with sins of others; be keeping thyself pure;
23no longer be drinking water, but a little wine be using, because of thy stomach and of thine often infirmities;
24of certain men the sins are manifest beforehand, leading before to judgment, and certain also they follow after;
25in like manner also the right works are manifest beforehand, and those that are otherwise are not able to be hid.
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