Instructions About Widows, Elders, and Slaves

¹If you need to correct an older man, do it respectfully. Appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as if they were your brothers,

²older women as if they were your mothers, and younger women as if they were your sisters, with complete purity.

³Take care of widows who actually need help.

⁴But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these relatives should first learn to put their faith into practice and care for their own family. That way they will repay their parents and grandparents, which is something that pleases God.

⁵A widow who truly needs help and is left all alone puts her hope in God. She keeps on praying night and day and asking God for help.

⁶But a widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she’s still alive.

⁷Give these instructions to the people so that no one will do the wrong thing.

⁸Anyone who doesn’t provide for their own relatives, and especially for their own family, has denied the faith and is worse than someone who doesn’t believe.

⁹No widow should be put on the list of widows unless she’s more than 60 years old. She has to have been faithful to her husband,

¹⁰and she must be well known for doing good things such as bringing up children, inviting guests into her home, serving the Lord’s people in humble ways, and helping those in trouble. A widow should spend her time doing all kinds of good things like these.

¹¹But don’t put younger widows on the list of those the church is supporting. They might promise to serve only Christ, but later they might have a strong desire to get married again

¹²and break their promise. If they do that, they’ll be judged.

¹³Besides, younger widows can get into the habit of being lazy and going around from house to house, wasting their time and bothering other people. They can talk nonsense and say things they shouldn’t.

¹⁴So I encourage younger widows to get married again, have children, and take care of their own homes. That way the enemy won’t get the chance to say bad things about them.

¹⁵Unfortunately, some have already turned away to follow Satan.

¹⁶If a woman who’s a believer is already taking care of widows, she should continue to help them and not ask the church to care for them instead. That way the church will be able to help widows who have no other options.

¹⁷Elders who lead the church well should be honored both with respect and with financial support. This is especially true of elders who preach and teach.

¹⁸Scripture says, “Don’t stop an ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw.” Scripture also says, “Workers are worthy of their pay.”

¹⁹Don’t consider an accusation against an elder unless two or three witnesses make it.

²⁰But elders who are sinning should be corrected in front of everyone else, as a warning to the others.

²¹I command you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels to follow these instructions. Treat everyone the same and don’t favor one person over another.

²²Don’t be too quick to place your hands on others to set them apart to serve God. If it turns out that they’re involved in sin, it will look as if you approve. Keep yourself pure.

²³Stop drinking only water. If your stomach is upset, drink a little wine. That may also help the other sicknesses you often have.

²⁴The sins of some people are easy to see. They’re already being judged. Others will be judged later.

²⁵In the same way, good works are easy to see, and even good works that are hard to see won’t stay hidden forever.