1 Timothy 5:1-6:2a.

1 Timothy 5:1-6:2a (GNT)
 

1Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father.
Treat the younger men as your brothers, 2the older women as mothers, and
the younger women as sisters, with all purity. 3Show respect for widows
who really are all alone. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren,
they should learn first to carry out their religious duties toward their
own family and in this way repay their parents and grandparents, because
that is what pleases God. 5A widow who is all alone, with no one to take
care of her, has placed her hope in God and continues to pray and ask him
for his help night and day. 6But a widow who gives herself to pleasure has
already died, even though she lives. 7Give them these instructions, so that
no one will find fault with them. 8But if any do not take care of their
relatives, especially the members of their own family, they have denied
the faith and are worse than an unbeliever. 9Do not add any widow to the
list of widows unless she is over sixty years of age. In addition, she
must have been married only once 10and have a reputation for good deeds: a
woman who brought up her children well, received strangers in her home,
performed humble duties for other Christians, helped people in trouble,
and devoted herself to doing good. 11But do not include younger widows in
the list; because when their desires make them want to marry, they turn
away from Christ, 12and so become guilty of breaking their earlier promise
to him. 13They also learn to waste their time in going around from house to
house; but even worse, they learn to be gossips and busybodies, talking of
things they should not. 14So I would prefer that the younger widows get
married, have children, and take care of their homes, so as to give our
enemies no chance of speaking evil of us. 15For some widows have already
turned away to follow Satan. 16But if any Christian woman has widows in
her family, she must take care of them and not put the burden on the
church, so that it may take care of the widows who are all alone. 17The
elders who do good work as leaders should be considered worthy of
receiving double pay, especially those who work hard at preaching and
teaching. 18For the scripture says, Do not muzzle an ox when you are using
it to thresh grain and Workers should be given their pay. 19Do not listen
to an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or more
witnesses. 20Rebuke publicly all those who commit sins, so that the rest
may be afraid. 21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the
holy angels I solemnly call upon you to obey these instructions without
showing any prejudice or favor to anyone in anything you do. 22Be in no
hurry to lay hands on people to dedicate them to the Lord's service. Take
no part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23Do not drink water
only, but take a little wine to help your digestion, since you are sick so
often. 24The sins of some people are plain to see, and their sins go ahead
of them to judgment; but the sins of others are seen only later. 25In the
same way good deeds are plainly seen, and even those that are not so plain
cannot be hidden. 1Those who are slaves must consider their masters worthy
of all respect, so that no one will speak evil of the name of God and of
our teaching. 2Slaves belonging to Christian masters must not despise
them, for they are believers too. Instead, they are to serve them even
better, because those who benefit from their work are believers whom they
love.

 

God bless you.