1 Timothy 5-6

Evangelical Heritage Version

Attitude Toward Various Age Groups

5 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but encourage him as a father, younger men as brothers, ² older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

Taking Care of Widows

³ Honor widows who are truly widows. ⁴ But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to be devoted to their own household and repay their parents,^[a] for this is pleasing in the sight of God. ⁵ Now the widow who is without relatives has put her hope in God and continues in her petitions and prayers night and day. ⁶ But the widow who lives only for her own pleasure is dead, even while she lives. ⁷ Insist on these things also, in order that they may be above criticism. ⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his own family, and especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹ Let a widow be put on the list if she is over sixty years old, has been a wife of one husband, ¹⁰ and has a good reputation for doing good: if she brought up children, if she showed hospitality to strangers, if she washed the feet of the saints, if she provided help for those in distress, and if she dedicated herself to every good work. ¹¹ But do not put younger widows on the list, for when they have strong sensual desires that pull them away from Christ, they want to marry, ¹² and so they bring judgment on themselves because they set aside their former pledge.^{[b] 13} At the same time, they also learn to be lazy as they go about from house to house. They not only learn to be lazy, but also to be gossips and busybodies, saying things that they should not say. ¹⁴ Therefore I want younger widows^[c] to marry, to have children, to keep house, and to give no opportunity for the enemy to slander them. ¹⁵ In fact, some have already turned away to follow Satan.

¹⁶ If any believing woman^[d] has widows in her family, let her keep helping them rather than letting them become a burden to the church, so that the church may help those who are truly widows.

Dealing With Elders

¹⁷ The elders who lead well should be considered worthy of double honor, especially the ones who work hard in the word and doctrine.^{[e] 18} For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,”^[f] and “The worker is worthy of his pay.”^{[g] 19} Do not accept an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁰ In the presence of everyone, rebuke the ones who persist in sin, so that the rest may be afraid.

²¹ I solemnly charge you, in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, that you follow these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing out of partiality. ²² Do not lay hands on anyone hastily and do not take part in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

²³ Stop drinking just water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent sicknesses.

²⁴ The sins of some people are obvious, going on ahead of them to judgment, but the sins of others follow them there. ²⁵ In the same way, good works are also obvious, and the ones that are not obvious cannot stay hidden.

Dealing With Slaves

6 All who are under a yoke of slavery should consider their own masters worthy of all respect, so that God’s name and his teaching may not be blasphemed. ² And those who have believing masters should not be disrespectful toward them because they are brothers. Instead, they should serve them even better, because those who benefit from their good service are believers and dear to them.

False Teachers and Their Greed

Teach and urge these things. ³ If anyone teaches different doctrines and does not devote himself to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴ he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. Instead, he has a morbid craving for controversies and battles over words, things that produce envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant frictions among people whose minds are depraved, who have lost hold of the truth, imagining that their godliness is a means of financial gain. Separate yourselves from such people.^[h]

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly^[i] cannot take anything out. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be satisfied.

⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into complete destruction and utter ruin. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils. By striving for money, some have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.

Fight the Good Fight

¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life, to which you were called and about which you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made a good confession as a witness before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴ that you keep this command without spot and without fault, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will make known at the proper time—the blessed and only ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or is able to see. To him be honor and power forever! Amen.

¹⁷ Instruct those who are rich in this present age not to be arrogant or to put their hope in the uncertainty of riches, but rather in God, who richly supplies us with all things for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they are storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.^[j]

²⁰ O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, turning away from godless, empty talk and the contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge.” ²¹ By professing it, some have veered away from the faith. Grace be with you.^[k] Amen.^[l]