| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Do not address an older man harshly but appeal to him as a father. Speak to younger men as brothers, | 1Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, |
| 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters--with complete purity. | 2older women as mothers, and with all propriety, the younger women as sisters. |
| 3Honor widows who are truly in need. | 3Support widows who are genuinely widows. |
| 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to fulfill their duty toward their own household and so repay their parents what is owed them. For this is what pleases God. | 4But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God. |
| 5But the widow who is truly in need, and completely on her own, has set her hope on God and continues in her pleas and prayers night and day. | 5The real widow, left all alone, has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; |
| 6But the one who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. | 6however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. |
| 7Reinforce these commands, so that they will be beyond reproach. | 7Command this also, so they won't be blamed. |
| 8But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. | 8But if anyone does not provide for his own, that is his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. |
| 9No widow should be put on the list unless she is at least sixty years old, was the wife of one husband, | 9No widow should be placed on the official support list unless she is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband, |
| 10and has a reputation for good works: as one who has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, helped those in distress--as one who has exhibited all kinds of good works. | 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. |
| 11But do not accept younger widows on the list, because their passions may lead them away from Christ and they will desire to marry, | 11But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry |
| 12and so incur judgment for breaking their former pledge. | 12and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. |
| 13And besides that, going around from house to house they learn to be lazy, and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not. | 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. |
| 14So I want younger women to marry, raise children, and manage a household, in order to give the adversary no opportunity to vilify us. | 14Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. |
| 15For some have already wandered away to follow Satan. | 15For some have already turned away to follow Satan. |
| 16If a believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. The church should not be burdened, so that it may help the widows who are truly in need. | 16If any believing woman has widows in her family, she should help them, and the church should not be burdened, so that it can help those who are genuinely widows. |
| 17Elders who provide effective leadership must be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching. | 17The elders who are good leaders should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. |
| 18For the scripture says, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain," and, "The worker deserves his pay." | 18For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, the worker is worthy of his wages. |
| 19Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it can be confirmed by two or three witnesses. | 19Don't accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. |
| 20Those guilty of sin must be rebuked before all, as a warning to the rest. | 20Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will also be afraid. |
| 21Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind. | 21I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism. |
| 22Do not lay hands on anyone hastily and so identify with the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. | 22Don't be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder, and don't share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. |
| 23(Stop drinking just water, but use a little wine for your digestion and your frequent illnesses.) | 23Don't continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. |
| 24The sins of some people are obvious, going before them into judgment, but for others, they show up later. | 24Some people's sins are obvious, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others surface later. |
| 25Similarly good works are also obvious, and the ones that are not cannot remain hidden. | 25Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden. |
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