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Widows, Elders and Slaves
Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,
Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,
older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.
Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.
But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.
The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.
Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help.
But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.
Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame.
Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism.
Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.
No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband,
and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry.
The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry.
Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge.
Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge.
Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to.
And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t.
So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.
Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.
If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses.
But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning.
Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others.
I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the highest angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone.
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.
Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later.