1 Ti-mô-thê 5

Older and younger believers

¹Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him as you would to a father. Treat younger men as brothers, ²older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with complete purity.

Caring for widows

³Give honor and support to widows who are really in need. ⁴But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to put their faith into practice by caring for their own family, and so repay their parents and grandparents, for this pleases God. ⁵The widow who is really in need, left all alone, has put her hope in God and keeps praying and asking for help night and day. ⁶But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is alive. ⁷Give these instructions as well, so that no one may be open to blame. ⁸Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

The list of widows

⁹No widow should be put on the list unless she is over sixty and has been faithful to her husband. ¹⁰She must be well known for good deeds: bringing up children, welcoming strangers, washing the feet of God’s people, helping those in trouble, and giving herself to every kind of good work. ¹¹But do not put younger widows on the list. When their desires pull them away from Christ, they want to marry, ¹²and so they come under judgment for breaking their first pledge.^{a 13}Besides, they get into the habit of being idle, going from house to house; and not only idle, but gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not. ¹⁴So I want the younger widows to marry, have children and manage their homes, giving the enemy no opportunity to speak evil of us. ¹⁵Some have already turned away to follow Satan. ¹⁶If a believing woman has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened, so that the church can help the widows who are really in need.

Instructions about elders

¹⁷Elders who lead the church well should be thought worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. ¹⁸For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves to be paid.” ¹⁹Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. ²⁰Those who keep on sinning should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will also take warning. ²¹In the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels, I solemnly charge you to keep these instructions without prejudging anyone and to do nothing out of favoritism. ²²Do not be in a hurry to lay hands on anyone, and do not share in other people’s sins. Keep yourself pure. ²³Stop drinking only water, and take a little wine for your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

²⁴Some people’s sins are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; the sins of others show up later. ²⁵In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot stay hidden.