1 Timothy 5

CHAPTER 5

Honor Widows

^1aDo not sharply rebuke an ^bolder man, but rather plead with him as a father, to ^cthe younger men as brothers,

²the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.

³Honor widows who are ^awidows indeed,

⁴but if any widow has children or grandchildren, ^athey must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to ¹make some return to their parents; for this is ^bacceptable in the sight of God.

⁵Now she who is a ^awidow indeed and who has been left alone, ^bhas fixed her hope on God and continues in ^cpetitions and prayers night and day.

⁶But she who ^alives in self-indulgence is ^bdead even while she lives.

^7aAnd command these things as well, so that they may be above reproach.

⁸But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has ^adenied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹A widow is to be ^aput on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been ^bthe wife of one man,

¹⁰having a reputation for ^agood works; if she has brought up children, if she has ^bshown hospitality to strangers, if she ^chas washed the ¹saints’ feet, if she has ^dassisted those in affliction, if she has devoted herself to every good work.

¹¹But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel ^asensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married,

¹²thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous ¹pledge.

¹³And at the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house. And not merely idle, but also ^agossips and ^bbusybodies, talking about ^cthings not proper to mention.

¹⁴Therefore, I want younger widows to get ^amarried, bear children, ^bkeep house, and ^cgive the enemy no opportunity for reviling,

¹⁵for some ^ahave already turned aside after ^bSatan.

¹⁶If any believing woman ^ahas widows, she must ^bassist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are ^cwidows indeed.

Honoring the Elders

^17aThe elders who ^blead well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who ^clabor ¹at preaching the word and teaching.

¹⁸For the Scripture says, “^aYou shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing,” and “^bThe laborer is worthy of his wages.”

¹⁹Do not receive an accusation against an ^aelder except on the basis of ^btwo or three witnesses.

²⁰Those who continue in sin, ^areprove in the presence of all, ^bso that the rest also will be fearful.

^21aI solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His elect angels, to observe these instructions without bias, doing nothing in partiality.

^22aDo not lay hands upon anyone hastily and ¹thereby share ^bresponsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

²³No longer drink water only, but ^ause a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

²⁴The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins ^afollow after.

²⁵So also good works are quite evident, and ^athose which are otherwise cannot be concealed.