1 Timothy
5 Do not rebuke an elderly man but appeal to him as a father; younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger ones as sisters in all purity.
3 Honor widows who really are widows. 4* But if any widow has children or grandchildren let them learn first to show piety toward their own family and to make returns to their progenitors; for this is a thing welcome to God. 5* But the real widow, left alone in the world, has her hope set on God and keeps up her petitions and prayers night and day; 6 but the self-indulgent one is dead while she is alive. 7 Give these injunctions too, in order that they may be unimpeachable. 8 But if one does not look out for his own, and especially those of his immediate family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 Let a widow be listed as such when she is not less than sixty years old, widow of one husband, 10* well attested for good works, if she has brought up children, if she has practiced hospitality, if she has washed the feet of people of God’s, if she has assisted persons in distress, if she has been assiduous in every good work. 11 But decline younger widows; for when they get too high-strung for the Christ, they want to marry, 12* incurring a judgment because they slighted their first faith. 13 And at the same time they also learn to be idlers going the rounds of the houses, and not only idlers but also chatterers and busybodies, talking of what they ought not. 14 So I would have younger ones marry, bear children, keep house, not give the opponent any opening toward abusive talk; 15 for some have already turned off to follow Satan. 16* If any believing woman has widows, let her assist them and the church not be burdened, in order that it may assist the real widows.
17 Let elders who have done well in management be deemed to deserve double honor, especially those who exert themselves in speaking and teaching. 18* For the text says “You shall not muzzle a threshing beast”; and a worker deserves his pay. 19 Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless on the word of two or three witnesses. 20* Reprove publicly those who sin, in order that the rest may on their part have something to be afraid of. 21 I notify you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels to take care of these things without prejudging, not doing anything in the way of favor. 22 Do not be quick to lay hands on anybody, nor share other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.
23 Do not keep on with water-drinking, but use a little wine on account of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
24* Some men’s sins are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment, and some their sins follow up. 25 In the same way good works too are obvious, and such as are otherwise cannot be hidden.