1 Do not lash out at an older man, but encourage him as a father; the younger men as brothers,
2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
3 Give honor to widows who are really widows.
4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to practice godliness toward their own family and to give something back to their parents, for this is good and pleasing before God.
5 The one who is truly a widow, left all alone, has fixed her hope on God and keeps on with her requests and prayers night and day;
6 but she who lives in luxury has died, though living.
7 Give these instructions as well, so that they may be free from reproach.
8 If anyone fails to provide for his own relatives, and above all for the members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than one who does not believe.
9 Let no widow be enrolled unless she is at least sixty years of age and has been the wife of one husband,
10 and has a reputation for good works: that she has raised children, welcomed strangers, washed the saints' feet, helped those in distress, and given herself to every kind of good work.
11 But decline to enroll the younger widows, for when their desires pull them away from Christ, they want to marry,
12 and so they bring judgment on themselves for having set aside their first pledge.
13 At the same time they also learn to be idle as they go around from house to house, and not just idle, but chatterers and meddlers, talking about things they should not.
14 Therefore I want younger women to marry, bear children, run their households, and give the opponent no pretext for abuse.
15 For some have already strayed off after Satan.
16 If any believing man or woman has widows in the family, he or she should assist them, and the church should not be weighed down, so that it can assist those who are widows indeed.
17 Let elders who preside well be counted worthy of double honor, above all those who labor in the word and in teaching.
18 For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox that is threshing," and, "The worker is worthy of his wage."
19 Accept no charge against an elder except on the word of two or three witnesses.
20 As for those who persist in sin, reprove them before everyone, so that the others may also stand in fear.
21 In the presence of God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the chosen angels I solemnly urge you to observe these rules without prejudging, doing nothing by leaning to one side.
22 Lay hands on no one quickly, and have no share in sins that belong to others; keep yourself clean.
23 No longer drink water only, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your many ailments.
24 Some people's sins are obvious, running ahead of them to judgment, while the sins of others show up later.
25 Good works, likewise, are plain to see, and those that are not so cannot be concealed.