1 Timoteo 5
Nueva Biblia Viva
Cómo tratar a viudas, ancianos y esclavos
5 No reprendas al anciano con dureza, sino exhórtalo con respeto, como a un padre; a los más jóvenes trátalos como a hermanos; 2 a las ancianas, como a madres; y a las jóvenes, como a hermanas, con absoluta pureza.
3 Debes ayudar a las viudas, si estas no tienen quien las ayude. 4 Pero si tienen hijos o nietos, estos deben hacerse cargo de ellas, porque su responsabilidad empieza con los de su propia familia. Así corresponderán al amor de sus padres y abuelos, porque eso le agrada a Dios.
5 La viuda que ha quedado enteramente sola, acude a Dios en busca de ayuda y pasa día y noche en oración y súplica. 6 Pero la viuda que se entrega al placer, ya está muerta en vida.
7 Encárgales a todos estas reglas para que no tengan de qué acusarlos. 8 El que no se ocupa de los suyos, especialmente de los de su propia familia, ha negado la fe y es peor que un infiel.
9 Para que una viuda pueda estar inscrita en la lista, debe tener por lo menos sesenta años de edad y no haber tenido más de un esposo. 10 Tiene que haberse labrado una sana reputación por sus buenas obras, como por ejemplo, haber educado bien a sus hijos, haber sido hospitalaria, haber lavado los pies de los que son del pueblo santo, haber brindado ayuda a los que sufren y haber sido bondadosa en todo.
11 Las viudas más jóvenes no deben figurar en la lista porque lo más probable es que más adelante se dejen llevar por sus deseos, se alejen de Cristo y se quieran casar. 12 Así serán culpables de haber faltado a su compromiso anterior. 13 Además, se acostumbran a estar ociosas y andar de casa en casa y se vuelven perezosas, chismosas y entrometidas, hablando de lo que no deben.
14 Por eso, exhorto a las viudas jóvenes a que se casen de nuevo, que tengan hijos y que lleven bien su hogar. Así el enemigo no podrá hablar mal de ellas. 15 Temo que algunas ya se hayan descarriado para seguir a Satanás.
16 Si alguna mujer creyente tiene una viuda en la familia, está obligada a mantenerla, y no debe dejarle esta carga a la iglesia. Así la iglesia puede dedicar sus recursos al cuidado de las viudas que no tienen a nadie en este mundo.
17 Los ancianos que cumplen bien con su deber en la iglesia, especialmente los que se dedican a predicar y enseñar, deben ser doblemente apreciados y recompensados. 18 Recordemos que la Escritura dice: «No le pondrás bozal al buey que trilla el grano; ¡déjale comer mientras trabaja!». Y en otro lugar dice: «El obrero es digno de su salario».
19 No hagas caso a ninguna acusación contra un anciano si no está respaldada por dos o tres testigos. 20 Si de veras ha pecado, repréndelo ante la iglesia en pleno, para que nadie siga su ejemplo. 21 Delante de Dios, de Cristo Jesús y de los santos ángeles, te encarezco que sigas estas instrucciones sin dejarte llevar de prejucios y favoritismos.
22 No impongas con ligereza las manos a nadie, porque corres el peligro de hacerte cómplice de pecados ajenos. Consérvate limpio de pecado.
23 No sigas bebiendo sólo agua; toma también un poco de vino por el bien de tu estómago y de tus frecuentes enfermedades.
24 Los pecados de algunos se echan de ver aun antes de ser investigados, pero hay pecados ocultos que sólo después saldrán a la luz. 25 De la misma manera, las buenas obras de algunos se ven claramente, pero hay cosas bien hechas que no se sabrán sino hasta mucho después.
1 Timothy 5
New Life Version
Teaching About Women Whose Husbands Have Died
5 Do not speak sharp words to an older man. Talk with him as if he were a father. Talk to younger men as brothers. 2 Talk to older women as mothers. Talk to younger women as sisters, keeping yourself pure. 3 Help women whose husbands have died. 4 If a woman whose husband has died has children or grandchildren, they are the ones to care for her. In that way, they can pay back to their parents the kindness that has been shown to them. God is pleased when this is done. 5 Women whose husbands have died are alone in this world. Their trust is in the Lord. They pray day and night. 6 But the one who lives only for the joy she can receive from this world is the same as dead even if she is alive.
7 Teach these things so they will do what is right. 8 Anyone who does not take care of his family and those in his house has turned away from the faith. He is worse than a person who has never put his trust in Christ. 9 A woman over sixty years old whose husband has died may receive help from the church. To receive this help, she must have been the wife of one man. 10 She must be known for doing good things for people and for being a good mother. She must be known for taking strangers into her home and for washing the feet of Christians. She must be known for helping those who suffer and for showing kindness.
11 Do not write the names of younger women whose husbands have died together with the names of others who need help. They will turn away from Christ because of wanting to get married again. 12 Then they would be thought of as guilty of breaking their first promise. 13 They will waste their time. They will go from house to house carrying stories. They will find fault with people and say things they should not talk about. 14 I think it is best for younger women whose husbands have died to get married. They should have children and care for their own homes. Then no one can speak against them. 15 Some of these women have already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If you have any women whose husbands have died in your family, you must care for them. The church should not have to help them. The church can help women whose husbands have died who are all alone in this world and have no one else to help them.
Teaching About Leaders
17 Leaders who do their work well should be given twice as much pay, and for sure, those who work hard preaching and teaching. 18 The Holy Writings say, “When a cow is walking on the grain to break it open, do not stop it from eating some” (A), and “A person who works should be paid.” (B)
19 Do not listen to what someone says against a church leader unless two or three persons say the same thing. 20 Show those who keep on sinning where they are wrong in front of the whole church. Then others will be afraid of sinning. 21 I tell you from my heart that you must follow these rules without deciding before the truth is known. God and Jesus Christ and the chosen angels know what I am saying. Show favors to no one. 22 Do not be in a hurry about choosing a church leader. You do not want to have any part in other men’s sins. Keep yourself pure.
23 Do not drink water only. Use a little wine because of your stomach and because you are sick so often.
24 The sins of some men can be seen. Their sins go before them and make them guilty. The sins of other men will be seen later. 25 In the same way, good works are easy to see now. But some that are not easy to be seen cannot always be hid.
1 Timothy 5
English Standard Version
Instructions for the Church
5 (A)Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, (B)younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
3 Honor widows (C)who are truly widows. 4 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. 5 She (F)who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and (G)continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but (H)she who is self-indulgent is (I)dead even while she lives. 7 (J)Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for (K)members of his household, he has (L)denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been (M)the wife of one husband,[a] 10 and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has (N)shown hospitality, (O)has washed the feet of the saints, has (P)cared for the afflicted, and has (Q)devoted herself to every good work. 11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when (R)their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry 12 and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. 13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also (S)gossips and (T)busybodies, saying what they should not. 14 So I would have (U)younger widows marry, bear children, (V)manage their households, and (W)give the adversary no occasion for slander. 15 (X)For some have already strayed after Satan. 16 If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those (Y)who are truly widows.
17 Let the elders (Z)who rule well be considered worthy of (AA)double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, (AB)“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, (AC)“The laborer deserves his wages.” 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except (AD)on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, (AE)rebuke them in the presence of all, (AF)so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels (AG)I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, (AH)doing nothing from partiality. 22 (AI)Do not be hasty in the (AJ)laying on of hands, nor (AK)take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 No longer drink only water, but (AL)use a little wine (AM)for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and (AN)even those that are not cannot remain hidden.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 5:9 Or a woman of one man
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