Instructions for the Church

(A)Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, (B)younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

Honor widows (C)who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn (D)to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for (E)this is pleasing in the sight of God.

Read full chapter

Widows, Elders and Slaves

Do not rebuke an older man(A) harshly,(B) but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men(C) as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.(D) But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents,(E) for this is pleasing to God.(F)

Read full chapter