1 Directions to Timothy how to admonish persons of different conditions. 3 Concerning widows. 17 Elders, if they do well, are to be doubly honoured; 19 and are not to be censured without full proof; and then openly and impartially. 22 A caution not to ordain any one precipitately. 23 Advice respecting Timothy's health. 24 Some men's characters are more easily discerned than those of others.
1. aREBUKE not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
2. The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, bwith all purity.
3. cHonour widows that are widows indeed.
4. But if any widow have children or nephews, dlet them learn first to shew 1piety at home, and to requite their parents: efor that is good and acceptable before God.
5. fNow she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers gnight and day.
6. hBut she that liveth 2in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
7. iAnd these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
8. jBut if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his 3own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than kan infidel.
9. Let not a widow be 4taken into the number under threescore years old, lhaving been the wife of one man,
10. mWell reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
11. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to nwax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
12. oHaving damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.
13. And *withal pthey learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but qtattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
14. rI will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, sguide the house, give none occasion to the adversary 5to speak reproachfully.
15. For some tare already turned aside after Satan.
16. uIf any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are vwidows indeed.
17. wLet the elders that rule well be counted worthy of xdouble honour, especially they who ylabour in the word and doctrine.
18. For the scripture saith, zThou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
19. Against aan elder receive not an accusation, but 6before btwo or three witnesses.
20. Them that sin crebuke before all, that others also may fear.
21. dI charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the eelect angels, that thou observe these things f7without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
22. gLay hands hsuddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
23. iDrink no longer water, but use ja little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
24. kSome men's sins are open beforehand, lgoing before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
25. mLikewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
REBUKE not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan. If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure. Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
1. Πρεσβυτέρῳ μὴ ἐπιπλήξῃς, ἀλλὰ παρακάλει ὡς πατέρα· νεωτέρους, ὡς ἀδελφούς·
2. πρεσβυτέρας, ὡς μητέρας· νεωτέρας, ὡς ἀδελφάς, ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ.
3. χήρας τίμα τὰς ὄντως χήρας.
4. εἰ δέ τις χήρα τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα ἔχει, μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν, καὶ ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι καλὸν καὶ ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
5. ἡ δὲ ὄντως χήρα καὶ μεμονωμένη ἤλπικεν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν, καὶ προσμένει ταῖς δεήσεσι καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας.
6. ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα, ζῶσα τέθνηκε.
7. καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε, ἵνα ἀνεπίληπτοι ὦσιν.
8. εἰ δέ τις τῶν ἰδίων καὶ μάλιστα τῶν οἰκείων οὐ προνοεῖ, τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται, καὶ ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων.
9. χήρα καταλεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα, γεγονυῖα ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή,
10. ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς μαρτυρουμένη, εἰ ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν, εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν, εἰ θλιβομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν, εἰ παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησε.
11. νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηνιάσωσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσιν,
12. ἔχουσαι κρίμα, ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν.
13. ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσι, περιερχόμεναι τὰς οἰκίας, οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀργαί, ἀλλὰ καὶ φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι, λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα.
14. βούλομαι οὖν νεωτέρας γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν, μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν διδόναι τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοιδορίας χάριν.
15. ἤδη γάρ τινες ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ.
16. εἴ τις πιστὸς ἢ πιστὴ ἔχει χήρας, ἐπαρκείτω αὐταῖς, καὶ μὴ βαρείσθω ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἵνα ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκέσῃ.
17. Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν, μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ.
18. λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή, Βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις. καί, Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ.
19. κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων.
20. τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐνώπιον πάντων ἔλεγχε, ἵνα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ φόβον ἔχωσι.
21. διαμαρτύρομαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων, ἵνα ταῦτα φυλάξῃς χωρὶς προκρίματος, μηδὲν ποιῶν κατὰ πρόσκλισιν.
22. χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει, μηδὲ κοινώνει ἁμαρτίαις ἀλλοτρίαις· σεαυτὸν ἁγνὸν τήρει.
23. μηκέτι ὑδροπότει, ἀλλ᾽ οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ, διὰ τὸν στόμαχόν σου καὶ τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας.
24. τινῶν ἀνθρώπων αἱ ἁμαρτίαι πρόδηλοί εἰσι, προάγουσαι εἰς κρίσιν· τισὶ δὲ καὶ ἐπακολουθοῦσιν.
25. ὡσαύτως καὶ τὰ καλὰ ἔργα πρόδηλά ἐστι· καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα κρυβῆναι οὐ δύναται.