Widows, Elders and Slaves
5 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 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. 5 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. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10 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.
11 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. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 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. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
16 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.
17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” [Deut. 25:4 ] and “The worker deserves his wages.” [Luke 10:7 ] 19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. 21 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.
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
24 The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. 25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
NOTES:
5:1–16 After a few words of general advice based on common
sense (1 Tm 5:1–2), the letter takes up, in its several aspects, the subject of
widows. The first responsibility for their care belongs to the family circle,
not to the Christian community as such (1 Tm 5:3–4, 16). The widow left without
the aid of relatives may benefit the community by her prayer, and the community
should consider her material sustenance its responsibility (1 Tm 5:5–8). Widows
who wish to work directly for the Christian community should not be accepted
unless they are well beyond the probability of marriage, i.e., sixty years of
age, married only once, and with a reputation for good works (1 Tm 5:9–10).
Younger widows are apt to be troublesome and should be encouraged to remarry (1
Tm 5:11–15).
5:16 Woman believer: some early Latin manuscripts and
Fathers have a masculine here, while most later manuscripts and patristic
quotations conflate the two readings, perhaps to avoid unfair restriction to
women.
5:17–25 The function of presbyters is not exactly the same
as that of the episkopos, “bishop” (1 Tm 3:1); in fact, the relation of the two
at the time of this letter is obscure (but cf. note on Ti 1:5–9). The Pastorals
seem to reflect a transitional stage that developed in many regions of the
church into the monarchical episcopate of the second and third centuries. The
presbyters possess the responsibility of preaching and teaching, for which
functions they are supported by the community (1 Tm 5:17–18). The realization
that their position subjects them to adverse criticism is implied in the
direction to Timothy (1 Tm 5:19–20) to make sure of the truth of any accusation
against them before public reproof is given. He must be as objective as
possible in weighing charges against presbyters (1 Tm 5:21), learning from his
experience to take care in selecting them (1 Tm 5:22). Some scholars take 1 Tm
5:22 as a reference not to ordination of presbyters but to the reconciliation of
public sinners. The letter now sounds an informal note of personal concern in
its advice to Timothy not to be so ascetic that he even avoids wine (1 Tm
5:23). Judgment concerning the fitness of candidates to serve as presbyters is
easy with persons of open conduct, more difficult and prolonged with those of
greater reserve (1 Tm 5:24–25).
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