1 Timothy 5
Lexham English Bible
Instructions About Widows
5 Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity. 3 Honor widows who are truly widows. 4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to show profound respect for their own household first, and to pay back recompense to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. 5 But the widow who is one truly, and is left alone, has put her hope in God and continues in her petitions and prayers night and day. 6 But the one who lives for sensual pleasure is dead even though she[a] lives. 7 And command these things, in order that they may be irreproachable. 8 But if someone does not provide for his own relatives, and especially the members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Let a widow be put on the list if she[b] is not less than sixty years old, the wife of one husband, 10 being well-attested by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has helped those who are oppressed, if she has devoted herself to every good work. 11 But refuse younger widows, for whenever their physical desires lead them away from Christ, they want to marry, 12 thus incurring condemnation because they have broken their former pledge. 13 And at the same time also, going around from house to house, they learn to be idle, and not only idle, but also gossipy and busybodies, saying the things that are not necessary. 14 Therefore I want younger widows to marry, to bear children, to manage a household, to give the adversary no opportunity for reproach. 15 For already some have turned away and followed after Satan. 16 If any believing woman has widows, she must help them, and the church must not be burdened, in order that it may help those who are truly widows.
Honoring Worthy Elders and Dealing With Sinners
17 The elders who lead well must be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor by speaking and teaching. 18 For the scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox while it[c] is threshing,”[d] and “The worker is worthy of his wages.”[e] 19 Do not accept an accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 Reprove those who sin in the presence of all, in order that the rest also may experience fear. 21 I testify solemnly before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing according to partiality. 22 Lay hands on no one hastily, and do not participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach and your frequent illnesses.) 24 The sins of some people are evident, preceding them to judgment, but for some also they follow after them. 25 Likewise also good works are evident, and those considered otherwise are not able to be hidden.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 5:6 Here “even though” is supplied as a component of the participle (“lives”) which is understood as concessive
- 1 Timothy 5:9 Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as conditional
- 1 Timothy 5:18 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“threshing”) which is understood as temporal
- 1 Timothy 5:18 A quotation from Deut 25:4
- 1 Timothy 5:18 A quotation from Luke 10:7
1 Timothy 5
Worldwide English (New Testament)
5 Do not be angry with an older man if he has done something wrong, but talk kindly to him as you would talk to your father. Talk to the young men like brothers.
2 Talk to the older women like mothers. Talk to the young women like sisters. And be sure to keep a clean mind and heart in all this.
3 Help widow women, whose husbands are dead, if they have no one to help them.
4 If they have children or grandchildren, they should learn that the first place to do God's work is in the home to help their own family. They should help their parents because their parents have helped them. This will please God.
5 A widow who has no one to help her, and is alone, trusts in God. Day and night she talks to God and asks him for the things she needs.
6 But a woman who spends her time in pleasing herself is really dead, even while she still lives.
7 Tell them these things so that they will do what is right.
8 A man must care for his own people. At least he must care for his family. If he does not care for them, he shows that he does not believe in God. He is worse than one who has never believed.
9 A widow who is over sixty years old, may be chosen to help the church people. But she must have been the wife of one husband.
10 People must speak well of the good works she has done. Has she brought up children? Has she been kind to strangers and cared for them in her house? Has she washed the feet of God's people? Has she helped people who were in trouble? Has she done every kind of good thing to help people?
11 But do not choose young women. When they begin to love other things more than Christ, they will want to marry again.
12 And that will be wrong for them because they have not kept their first promise.
13 Not only that, but they also become lazy. They walk about going from house to house. Not only are they lazy but they talk too much and tell stories about people. They tell things they should not tell.
14 So I would like young women to marry again and have children. They should care for their homes. They should do nothing that would make the enemy say wrong things about them.
15 Some have already turned away to follow Satan.
16 Do any Christians have in their families women whose husbands are dead? If they do, they should help them. The church people should not have to care for them. Then the church can help the women who have no one to help them.
17 The leaders of the church people who rule well should be given greater honour and reward. At least do this for those who work hard in speaking and teaching.
18 The holy writings say, `You may not tie the mouth of a cow when it is walking on the grain to beat it out.' And also, `The man who works should be paid for it.'
19 Do not listen to a complaint against a leader if what he has done has not been seen and proved by two or three people.
20 Talk to those who live a wrong life and tell them to stop it. Talk to them in front of all the church members. Then the others will be afraid to do it.
21 I say this before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels of God. Do these things in an honest way. Do not treat one person better than another person.
22 Do not be in a hurry to place your hands on a man as a sign for him to be a leader. Do not take part in the wrong things another man does. Keep yourself clean.
23 Do not drink water only. But drink a little wine to help your stomach because you are sick so often.
24 The wrong things some men do can be seen clearly and show that they should be punished. But wrong things other people do are not seen until later.
25 So also, the good things are seen clearly. Even when they are not seen at first, they will be seen later.
1 Timothy 5
King James Version
5 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.
4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.
10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.
13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.
16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
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