| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Don't rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, | 1Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. |
| 2older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters with all purity. | 2Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters. |
| 3Support widows who are genuinely in need. | 3Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. |
| 4But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God. | 4But 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. |
| 5The widow who is truly in need and left all alone has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; | 5Now 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. |
| 6however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. | 6But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives. |
| 7Command this also, so that they will be above reproach. | 7Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism. |
| 8But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. | 8But 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. |
| 9No widow is to be enrolled on the list for support unless she is at least sixty years old, has been the wife of one husband, | 9A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband. |
| 10and is well known for good works--that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints' feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to every good work. | 10She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good? |
| 11But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry | 11The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. |
| 12and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. | 12Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. |
| 13At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn't say. | 13And 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. |
| 14Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. | 14So 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. |
| 15For some have already turned away to follow Satan. | 15For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan. |
| 16If any believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it can help widows in genuine need. | 16If 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. |
| 17The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. | 17Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. |
| 18For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and the worker is worthy of his wages. | 18For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!” |
| 19Don't accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. | 19Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. |
| 20Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will be afraid. | 20Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others. |
| 21I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism. | 21I 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. |
| 22Don't be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder, and don't share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. | 22Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader. Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. |
| 23Don't continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. | 23Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often. |
| 24Some people's sins are obvious, preceding them to judgment, but the sins of others surface later. | 24Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later. |
| 25Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden. | 25In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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