How To Act toward Others
1 Don't correct an older man. Encourage him, as you would your own father. Treat younger men as you would your own brother, 2 and treat older women as you would your own mother. Show the same respect to younger women that you would to your sister.
3 Take care of any widow who is really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn to serve God by taking care of her, as she once took care of them. This is what God wants them to do. 5 A widow who is really in need is one who doesn't have any relatives. She has faith in God, and she keeps praying to him night and day, asking for his help.
6 A widow who thinks only about having a good time is already dead, even though she is still alive.
7 Tell all this to everyone, so they will do the right thing. 8 People who don't take care of their relatives, and especially their own families, have given up their faith. They are worse than someone who doesn't have faith in the Lord.
9 For a widow to be put on the list of widows, she must be at least 60 years old, and she must have been faithful in marriage. 10 She must also be well-known for doing all sorts of good things, such as raising children, giving food to strangers, welcoming God's people into her home, helping people in need, and always making herself useful.
11 Don't put young widows on the list. They may later have a strong desire to get married. Then they will turn away from Christ 12 and become guilty of breaking their promise to him. 13 Besides, they will become lazy and get into the habit of going from house to house. Next, they will start gossiping and become busybodies, talking about things that are none of their business.
14 I would prefer that young widows get married, have children, and look after their families. Then the enemy won't have any reason to say insulting things about us. 15 Look what's already happened to some of the young widows! They have turned away to follow Satan.
16 If a woman who is a follower has any widows in her family, she should help them. This will keep the church from having that burden, and then the church can help widows who are really in need.
Church Leaders
17 Church leaders who do their job well deserve to be paid twice as much, especially if they work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 It is just as the Scriptures say, “Don't muzzle an ox when you are using it to grind grain.” You also know the saying, “Workers are worth their pay.”
19 Don't listen to any charge against a church leader, unless at least two or three people bring the same charges. 20 But if any of the leaders should keep on sinning, they must be corrected in front of the whole group, as a warning to everyone else.
21 In the presence of God and Christ Jesus and their chosen angels, I order you to follow my instructions! Be fair with everyone, and don't have any favorites.
22 Don't be too quick to accept people into the service of the Lord by placing your hands on them.
Don't sin because others do, but stay close to God.
23 Stop drinking only water. Take a little wine to help your stomach trouble and the other illnesses you often have.
24 Some people get caught in their sins almost at once, even before the time of judgment. But other people's sins don't show up until later. 25 It is the same with good deeds. Some are easily seen, but none of them can be hidden.
1 Rebuke not an Elder, but exhort him as a father, and the yonger men as brethren, 2 The elder women as mothers, the yonger as sisters, with all purenesse. 3 Honour widowes, which are widowes in deede. 4 But if any widowe haue children or nephewes, let them learne first to shewe godlinesse towarde their owne house, and to recompense their kinred: for that is an honest thing and acceptable before God. 5 And shee that is a widowe in deede and left alone, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and praiers night and day. 6 But shee that liueth in pleasure, is dead, while shee liueth. 7 These things therefore warne them of, that they may be blamelesse. 8 If there bee any that prouideth not for his owne, and namely for them of his housholde, hee denieth the faith, and is worse then an infidell. 9 Let not a widow be taken into the number vnder three score yeere olde, that hath beene the wife of one husband, 10 And well reported of for good woorkes: if shee haue nourished her children, if shee haue lodged the strangers, if shee haue washed the Saintes feete, if shee haue ministred vnto them which were in aduersitie, if shee were continually giuen vnto euery good woorke. 11 But refuse the yonger widowes: for when they haue begun to waxe wanton against Christ, they will marrie, 12 Hauing damnation, because they haue broken the first faith. 13 And likewise also being idle they learne to goe about from house to house: yea, they are not onely ydle, but also pratlers and busibodies, speaking things which are not comely. 14 I will therefore that the yonger women marie, and beare children, and gouerne the house, and giue none occasion to the aduersary to speake euill. 15 For certaine are alreadie turned backe after Satan. 16 If any faithfull man, or faithfull woman haue widowes, let them minister vnto them, and let not the Church bee charged, that there may bee sufficient for them that are widowes in deede. 17 The Elders that rule well, let them be had in double honour, specially they which labour in the worde and doctrine, 18 For the Scripture sayeth, Thou shalt not mousell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne: and, The labourer is worthie of his wages. 19 Against an Elder receiue none accusation, but vnder two or three witnesses. 20 Them that sinne, rebuke openly, that the rest also may feare. 21 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ, and the elect Angels, that thou obserue these thinges without preferring one to an other, and doe nothing partially. 22 Lay handes suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other mens sinnes: keepe thy selfe pure. 23 Drinke no longer water, but vse a litle wine for thy stomakes sake, and thine often infirmities. 24 Some mens sinnes are open before hand, and goe before vnto iudgement: but some mens folowe after. 25 Likewise also the good woorkes are manifest before hande, and they that are otherwise, cannot be hid.