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.

6 ^(AO)Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants^[b] regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, ^(AP)so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. ² Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are ^(AQ)brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

False Teachers and True Contentment

^(AR)Teach and urge these things. ³ If anyone ^(AS)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with ^(AT)the sound^[c] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching ^(AU)that accords with godliness, ^4 (AV)he is puffed up with conceit and ^(AW)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for ^(AX)controversy and for ^(AY)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people ^(AZ)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, ^(BA)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. ⁶ But ^(BB)godliness ^(BC)with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for ^(BD)we brought nothing into the world, and^[d] we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But ^(BE)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But ^(BF)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, ^(BG)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that ^(BH)plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of ^(BI)all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

¹¹ But as for you, ^(BJ)O man of God, ^(BK)flee these things. ^(BL)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ^12 (BM)Fight the good fight of the faith. ^(BN)Take hold of the eternal life ^(BO)to which you were called and about which you made ^(BP)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ^13 (BQ)I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, ^(BR)who in his testimony before^[e] Pontius Pilate made ^(BS)the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until ^(BT)the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display ^(BU)at the proper time—he who is ^(BV)the blessed and only Sovereign, ^(BW)the King of kings and Lord of lords, ^16 (BX)who alone has immortality, ^(BY)who dwells in ^(BZ)unapproachable light, ^(CA)whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

¹⁷ As for the rich in ^(CB)this present age, charge them ^(CC)not to be haughty, nor ^(CD)to set their hopes on ^(CE)the uncertainty of riches, but on God, ^(CF)who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ They are to do good, ^(CG)to be rich in good works, to be generous and ^(CH)ready to share, ¹⁹ thus ^(CI)storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may ^(CJ)take hold of ^(CK)that which is truly life.

²⁰ O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. ^(CL)Avoid the ^(CM)irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” ²¹ for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

^(CN)Grace be with you.^[f]

A Father's Wise Instruction