Widows, Elders and Slaves
1Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
11As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 14So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
16If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
17The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”5:18 Deut. 25:4 and “The worker deserves his wages.”5:18 Luke 10:7 19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. 21I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
22Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
24The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. 25In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
Ìmọ̀ràn nípa àwọn opó, àwọn alàgbà àti àwọn ẹrú
1Má ṣe bá àgbàlagbà ọkùnrin wí, ṣùgbọ́n kí ó máa gbà á níyànjú bí i baba; àwọn ọ̀dọ́mọkùnrin bí arákùnrin. 2Àwọn àgbàlagbà obìnrin bí ìyá; àwọn ọ̀dọ́mọbìnrin bí arábìnrin nínú ìwà mímọ́.
3Bọ̀wọ̀ fún àwọn opó ti í ṣe opó nítòótọ́. 4Ṣùgbọ́n bí opó kan bá ni ọmọ tàbí ọmọ ọmọ, jẹ́ kí wọn kọ́kọ́ kọ́ bí a ti ń ṣe ìtọ́jú ilé àwọn tìkára wọn, kí wọn sì san oore àwọn òbí wọn padà; nítorí pé èyí ni ó ṣe ìtẹ́wọ́gbà níwájú Ọlọ́run. 5Ǹjẹ́ ẹni ti í ṣe opó nítòótọ́, ti ó ṣe òun nìkan, a máa gbẹ́kẹ̀lé Ọlọ́run, a sì máa dúró nínú ẹ̀bẹ̀ àti nínú àdúrà lọ́sàn àti lóru. 6Ṣùgbọ́n ẹni tí ó bá fi ara rẹ fún ayé jíjẹ, ó kú nígbà tí ó wà láààyè. 7Nǹkan wọ̀nyí ni kí wọn máa paláṣẹ, kí wọn lè wà láìlẹ́gàn 8Ṣùgbọ́n bí ẹnikẹ́ni kò bá pèsè fún àwọn tirẹ̀, pàápàá fún àwọn ará ilé rẹ̀, ó ti sẹ́ ìgbàgbọ́, ó burú ju aláìgbàgbọ́ lọ.
9Kọ orúkọ ẹni tí kò bá dín ni ọgọ́ta ọdún sílẹ̀ bí opó, lẹ́yìn ti ó ti jẹ́ aya ọkọ kan. 10Ẹni ti a jẹ́rìí rẹ̀ fún iṣẹ́ rere; bí ẹni ti ó ti tọ́ ọmọ dàgbà, ti ó ń ṣe ìtọ́jú àlejò, tí ó sì ń wẹ ẹsẹ̀ àwọn ènìyàn mímọ́, tí ó ti ran àwọn olùpọ́njú lọ́wọ́, tí ó sì ń lépa iṣẹ́ rere gbogbo.
11Ṣùgbọ́n ma ṣe kọ orúkọ àwọn opó tí kò dàgbà; nítorí pé nígbà tiwọn bá ti ṣe ìfẹ́kúfẹ̀ẹ́ lòdì sí Kristi, wọn á tún fẹ́ láti gbéyàwó. 12Wọn á di ẹlẹ́bi, nítorí tí wọn ti kọ ìgbàgbọ́ wọn ìṣáájú sílẹ̀. 13Àti pẹ̀lú wọn ń kọ́ láti ṣe ọ̀lẹ, láti máa kiri láti ilédélé, kì í ṣe ọ̀lẹ nìkan, ṣùgbọ́n onísọkúsọ àti olófòófó pẹ̀lú, wọn a máa sọ ohun tí kò yẹ. 14Nítorí náà, mo fẹ́ kí àwọn opó tí kò dàgbà máa gbéyàwó, kí wọn máa bímọ, kí wọn máa ṣe alábojútó ilé, kí wọn má ṣe fi ààyè sílẹ̀ rárá fún ọ̀tá náà láti sọ̀rọ̀ ẹ̀gàn. 15Nítorí àwọn mìíràn ti yípadà kúrò sí ẹ̀yìn Satani.
16Bí ọkùnrin tàbí obìnrin kan tí ó gbàgbọ́ bá ní àwọn opó, kí ó máa ràn wọ́n lọ́wọ́, kí a má sì di ẹrù lé ìjọ, kí wọn lè máa ran àwọn ti í ṣe opó nítòótọ́ lọ́wọ́.
17Àwọn alàgbà ti ó ṣe àkóso dáradára ni kí a kà yẹ sí ọlá ìlọ́po méjì, pẹ̀lúpẹ̀lú àwọn ti ó ṣe làálàá ni ọ̀rọ̀ àti ni kíkọ́ni. 185.18: De 25.4; 1Kọ 9.9; Mt 10.10; Lk 10.7; 1Kọ 9.14.Nítorí tí Ìwé mímọ́ wí pé, “Ìwọ kò gbọdọ̀ di màlúù ti ń tẹ ọkà lẹ́nu,” àti pé, “ọ̀yà alágbàṣe tọ́ sí i.” 195.19: De 19.15.Má ṣe gba ẹ̀sùn sí alàgbà kan, bí kò ṣe láti ẹnu ẹlẹ́rìí méjì-mẹ́ta. 20Bá àwọn tí ó ṣẹ̀ wí níwájú gbogbo ènìyàn, kí àwọn ìyókù pẹ̀lú bà á lè bẹ̀rù. 21Mo pàṣẹ fún ọ níwájú Ọlọ́run, àti Kristi Jesu, àti àwọn angẹli àyànfẹ́ kí ìwọ máa ṣàkíyèsí nǹkan wọ̀nyí, láìṣe ojúsàájú, láti fi ègbè ṣe ohunkóhun.
22Má ṣe fi ìkánjú gbe ọwọ́ lé ẹnikẹ́ni, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kí ó má sì ṣe jẹ́ alábápín nínú ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ àwọn ẹlòmíràn: pa ara rẹ mọ́ ní ìwà mímọ́.
23Ma ṣe máa mu omi nìkan, ṣùgbọ́n máa lo wáìnì díẹ̀ nítorí inú rẹ, àti nítorí àìlera ìgbàkúgbà.
24Ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ àwọn ẹlòmíràn a máa hàn gbangba, a máa lọ ṣáájú sí ìdájọ́; tí àwọn ẹlòmíràn pẹ̀lú a sì máa tẹ̀lé wọn. 25Bẹ́ẹ̀ gẹ́gẹ́ pẹ̀lú ni iṣẹ́ rere wa máa ń hàn gbangba; bí wọn kò tilẹ̀ tí ì hàn, wọn kò lè fi ara sin títí.
