1Timothy 5

Responsibilities toward Believers

5Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat the younger men as your brothers,G1969G3361G4245G235G3870G5613G3962G3501G5613G802the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, with all purity.G4245G5613G3384G3501G5613G79G1722G3956G473Show respect for widows who really are all alone.G5091G5503G5503G36894But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn first to carry out their religious duties toward their own family and in this way repay their parents and grandparents, because that is what pleases God.G1161G1536G5503G2192G5043G2228G1549G3129G4412G2151G2398G3624G2532G287G591G4269G1063G5124G2076G2570G2532G587G1799G23165A widow who is all alone, with no one to take care of her, has placed her hope in God and continues to pray and ask him for his help night and day.G1161G5503G3689G2532G3443G1679G1909G2316G2532G4357G1162G2532G4335G3571G2532G22506But a widow who gives herself to pleasure has already died, even though she lives.G1161G4684G2348G21987Give them these instructions, so that no one will find fault with them.G2532G5023G3853G2443G5600G4238But if any do not take care of their relatives, especially the members of their own family, they have denied the faith and are worse than an unbeliever.G1161G1536G4306G3756G2398G2532G3122G3609G720G4102G2532G2076G5501G5719Do not add any widow to the list of widows unless she is over sixty years of age. In addition, she must have been married only onceG2639G3361G5503G2639G1640G1835G2094G1096G1135G1520G43510and have a reputation for good deeds: a woman who brought up her children well, received strangers in her home, performed humble duties for other Christians, helped people in trouble, and devoted herself to doing good.G3140G1722G2570G2041G1487G5044G1487G3580G1487G3538G40G4228G1487G1884G2346G1487G1872G3956G18G204111But do not include younger widows in the list; because when their desires make them want to marry, they turn away from Christ,G1161G3501G5503G3868G1063G3752G2691G5547G2309G106012and so become guilty of breaking their earlier promise to him.G2192G2917G3754G114G4413G410213They also learn to waste their time in going around from house to house; but even worse, they learn to be gossips and busybodies, talking of things they should not.G1161G2532G260G3129G692G4022G3614G1161G3756G3440G692G235G5397G2532G2532G4021G2980G3588G1163G336114So I would prefer that the younger widows get married, have children, and take care of their homes, so as to give our enemies no chance of speaking evil of us.G1014G3767G3501G1060G5041G3616G1325G3367G874G480G5484G305915For some widows have already turned away to follow Satan.G1063G5100G1624G2235G1624G3694G456716But if any Christian woman has widows in her family, she must take care of them and not put the burden on the church, so that it may take care of the widows who are all alone.G1536G4103G2228G4103G2192G5503G1884G846G2532G916G3361G1577G916G2443G1884G5503G368917The elders who do good work as leaders should be considered worthy of receiving double pay, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.G515G4245G4291G2573G515G1362G5092G3122G2872G1722G3056G2532G131918For the scripture says, "Do not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh grain" and "Workers should be given their pay."G1063G1124G3004G5392G3756G5392G1016G248G2532G2040G514G846G340819Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or more witnesses.G2596G4245G3858G3361G2724G1508G1622G1909G1417G2228G5140G314420Rebuke publicly all those who commit sins, so that the rest may be afraid.G264G1651G1799G3956G2443G3062G2532G2192G540121In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the holy angels I solemnly call upon you to obey these instructions without showing any prejudice or favor to anyone in anything you do.G1263G1799G2316G2532G2962G2424G5547G2532G1588G32G2443G5442G5023G5565G4299G4160G3367G2596G434622Be in no hurry to lay hands on people to dedicate them to the Lord's service. Take no part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.G2007G5495G5030G2007G3367G3366G2841G245G266G5083G4572G5323Do not drink water only, but take a little wine to help your digestion, since you are sick so often.G5202G3371G5202G235G5530G3641G3631G1223G4675G4751G2532G4675G4437G76924The sins of some people are plain to see, and their sins go ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others are seen only later.G5100G444G266G1526G4271G4254G1519G2920G1161G2532G5100G187225In the same way good deeds are plainly seen, and even those that are not so plain cannot be hidden.G5615G2532G2570G2041G2076G4271G2532G2192G247G3756G1410G2928