1 Timothy 5

¹Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,

²older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

³Honor widows who are truly widows.

⁴But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety toward their own household and to render recompense to their forebears; for this is good and pleasing before God.

⁵Now she who is truly a widow and left all alone has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day;

⁶But she who lives in self-indulgence, though living, has died.

⁷Command these things also, so that they may be above reproach.

⁸But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹Let a widow be enrolled who is not less than sixty years old, the wife of one husband,

¹⁰well attested in good works, if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has devoted herself to every good work.

¹¹But refuse younger widows; for when they grow wanton against Christ, they want to marry,

¹²incurring judgment, because they have set aside their first pledge;

¹³And at the same time they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. And not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, speaking things they ought not.

¹⁴Therefore I want younger widows to marry, to bear children, to manage their households, to give the adversary no occasion for reviling;

¹⁵For already some have turned aside after Satan.

¹⁶If any believing woman has widows, let her help them, and let the church not be burdened, so that it may help those who are truly widows.

¹⁷Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in word and teaching;

¹⁸For the Scripture says: You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and, The laborer is worthy of his wages.

¹⁹Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

²⁰But those who sin, rebuke before all, so that the rest also may have fear.

²¹I solemnly charge you before God and the Lord Christ Jesus and the elect angels, that you keep these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of partiality.

²²Lay hands hastily on no one, nor share in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

²³No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

²⁴The sins of some people are manifest, going before them to judgment; but for some they also follow after.

²⁵Likewise also the good works are evident, and even those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.