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.
信徒的責任
1不要斥責年長的，要像對待父親一樣勸他們；對待青年男子要情同手足； 2對待年長的婦女要情同母親；對待青年女子要心思純正，視她們如姊妹。
3要敬重和幫助那些真正有需要的寡婦。 4寡婦如果有兒孫，就要叫她們的兒孫在家中學習盡孝道，奉養她們，以報答養育之恩，這是上帝所悅納的。 5真正有需要、無依無靠的寡婦仰賴上帝的幫助，晝夜不住地禱告祈求。 6但貪圖享樂的寡婦雖然活著，卻已經死了。 7你當教導眾人這些事，好叫他們無可指責。 8誰不照顧自己的親屬，尤其是不照顧自己的家人，就是背棄信仰，比不信的人還壞。
9列入名冊的寡婦必須年滿六十歲，在婚姻上從一而終， 10並且在善事上有好名聲，如教養兒女、接待外人、服侍聖徒5·10 希臘語是「洗聖徒的腳」。、救助困苦、竭力做各種善事。
11不要把年輕的寡婦列入名冊，因為當她們情慾衝動、無法持守對基督的委身時，就想再嫁， 12以致違背了起初的誓言而受審判。 13況且，她們不僅懶散成性，四處串門，還說長道短，好管閒事，搬弄是非。 14所以，我建議年輕的寡婦再嫁，生兒育女，料理家務，不要給仇敵毀謗的機會， 15因為有些人已經偏離正道，去追隨撒旦了。 16女信徒的家裡若有寡婦，就應該自己照顧她們，免得加重教會的負擔，這樣教會才能照顧那些真正無依無靠的寡婦。
17那些善於管理教會的長老，尤其是那些辛勤傳道和教導人的，理當得到加倍的敬養。 18因為聖經上說：「牛在踩穀時，不可籠住牠的嘴。」5·18 申命記25·4。又說：「工人理應得到工錢。」5·18 路加福音10·7。 19若有人向你控告長老，必須有兩三個證人，否則不要受理。 20那些一直犯罪的人，你要當眾責備他們，以警戒眾人。
21我在上帝和基督耶穌及蒙揀選的眾天使面前吩咐你：要遵行這些話，不要有成見，不要偏心。 22為人行按手禮，不要操之過急。不要沾染別人的罪，要潔身自好。
23你的胃不好，經常生病，不要只喝水，要稍微喝一點酒。
24有些人的罪很明顯，自招審判，有些人的罪日後才暴露出來。 25同樣，有些善行很明顯，不明顯的也不會被長久埋沒。
