Instructions for the Church

¹bDo not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, cyounger men as brothers, ²older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

³Honor widows dwho are truly widows. ⁴But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn eto show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for fthis is pleasing in the sight of God. ⁵She gwho is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and hcontinues in supplications and prayers night and day, ⁶but ishe who is self-indulgent is jdead even while she lives. ⁷kCommand these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. ⁸But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for lmembers of his household, he has mdenied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been nthe wife of one husband,1 ¹⁰and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has nshown hospitality, ohas washed the feet of the saints, has pcared for the afflicted, and has qdevoted herself to every good work. ¹¹But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when rtheir passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry ¹²and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. ¹³Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also sgossips and tbusybodies, saying what they should not. ¹⁴So I would have uyounger widows marry, bear children, vmanage their households, and wgive the adversary no occasion for slander. ¹⁵xFor some have already strayed after Satan. ¹⁶If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those ywho are truly widows.

¹⁷Let the elders zwho rule well be considered worthy of adouble honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. ¹⁸For the Scripture says, b“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, c“The laborer deserves his wages.” ¹⁹Do not admit a charge against an elder except don the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁰As for those who persist in sin, erebuke them in the presence of all, fso that the rest may stand in fear. ²¹In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels gI charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, hdoing nothing from partiality. ²²iDo not be hasty in the jlaying on of hands, nor ktake part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. ²³(No longer drink only water, but luse a little wine mfor the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) ²⁴The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. ²⁵So also good works are conspicuous, and neven those that are not cannot remain hidden.