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1Never speak sharp words to a man who is your elder. Instead, speak respectfully to him as to a father. Speak to the younger men as brothers,
2to the women elders as mothers, and to the young women as sisters, keeping your thoughts pure.
3Honor and take care of the women whose husbands have walked on, if they truly need help.
4But if any among them have children or grandchildren, they should take care of her with respect as she once did for them, for this is what Creator wants them to do.
5The sacred family should take care of women who have no one to care for them as long as they are looking to Creator for their help and continue to send up prayers night and day.
6But the ones who live only to please themselves are spiritually dead even while they live.
7Instruct the sacred family members about these things, so no one will have a reason to accuse or look down on them.
8For all who fail to care for the members of their own family have denied the truth of our spiritual ways and are worse than an outsider who does not trust as we do.[#5:8 Lit. our faith]
9To be counted as a widow to be taken care of by the sacred family , a woman must be an elder of sixty winters or older who was faithful to her husband.[#5:9 Lit. a wife of one man]
10She must also have a reputation for doing good. Has she raised her children in a good way? Has she welcomed travelers into her home? Has she washed the feet of Creator’s holy ones? Has she offered help to people during hard times? Has she always been willing to do good for others?[#5:10 John 13:14]
11Do not include the younger widows for this kind of care . For when their natural human desires draw them away from their devotion to the Chosen One, they will want to get married.
12Then they will be found guilty of breaking the sacred promise they made to remain unmarried .
13They make a habit of going around from home to home doing nothing and helping no one. Not only that, they talk about people behind their backs, stick their noses into places they do not belong, and say things that should not be said.
14That is why I want the younger widows to get married, have children, and take good care of their own families. Then the enemy will have nothing to say against them.
15For some of the younger widows have already wandered away to follow Accuser (Satan) the evil trickster snake .
16If sacred family members have a widow in the family, let them take her in and care for her. This will lift the burden from the sacred family so the widows who have no family will be cared for.
17The elders who are spiritual leaders are to be given double honor—most of all, the ones who work hard at instructing and teaching others.
18For our Sacred Teachings tell us, “When an ox is used to harvest corn, do not cover its mouth and keep it from eating,” and “Those who work hard should be given the honor and goods they have worked hard for.”[#5:18 Deuteronomy 25:4; 1 Corinthians 9:9; #5:18 Leviticus 19:13]
19If someone accuses an elder who is a spiritual leader with wrongdoing, do not listen unless two or three others say the same thing.
20Even so, a spiritual leader who continues in wrongdoing must be brought before all of the council of elders for correction as a warning to others.
21With the Great Spirit as my witness, along with Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One and his chief spirit-messengers, I call on you, He Gives Honor (Timothy) , to follow my instructions by treating everyone the same and not taking the side of one over another.[#5:21 Lit. chosen]
22Do not be in a hurry to lay your hands on others to choose them as spiritual leaders . Do not take part in the broken ways of others. Keep yourself pure.
23No longer drink only water, and from now on use a little wine to purify the water . This will be good medicine for the times you have a bad stomach.
24Some people’s broken ways are plain to see even before their guilt is decided. The guilt of others becomes clear later on.
25In the same way, the good deeds of some are clearly seen, and even if they are not clear for all to see, they will not be hidden for long.