Chapter 5

  An aged person thou mayest not rebuke, but be entreating as a father; younger persons as brethren;  

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  aged women as mothers, younger ones as sisters -- in all purity;  

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  honour widows who are really widows;  

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  and if any widow have children or grandchildren, let them learn first to their own house to show piety, and to give back a recompense to the parents, for this is right and acceptable before God.  

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  And she who is really a widow and desolate, hath hoped upon God, and doth remain in the supplications and in the prayers night and day,  

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  and she who is given to luxury, living -- hath died;  

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  and these things charge, that they may be blameless;  

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  and if any one for his own -- and especially for those of the household -- doth not provide, the faith he hath denied, and than an unbeliever he is worse.  

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  A widow -- let her not be enrolled under sixty years of age, having been a wife of one husband,  

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  in good works being testified to: if she brought up children, if she entertained strangers, if saints' feet she washed, if those in tribulation she relieved, if every good work she followed after;  

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  and younger widows be refusing, for when they may revel against the Christ, they wish to marry,  

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  having judgment, because the first faith they did cast away,  

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  and at the same time also, they learn [to be] idle, going about the houses; and not only idle, but also tattlers and busybodies, speaking the things they ought not;  

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  I wish, therefore, younger ones to marry, to bear children, to be mistress of the house, to give no occasion to the opposer to reviling;  

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  for already certain did turn aside after the Adversary.  

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  If any believing man or believing woman have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the assembly be burdened, that those really widows it may relieve.  

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  The well-leading elders of double honour let them be counted worthy, especially those labouring in word and teaching,  

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  for the Writing saith, 'An ox treading out thou shalt not muzzle,' and 'Worthy [is] the workman of his reward.'  

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  Against an elder an accusation receive not, except upon two or three witnesses.  

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  Those sinning, reprove before all, that the others also may have fear;  

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  I testify fully, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the choice messengers, that these things thou mayest keep, without forejudging, doing nothing by partiality.  

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  Be laying hands quickly on no one, nor be having fellowship with sins of others; be keeping thyself pure;  

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  no longer be drinking water, but a little wine be using, because of thy stomach and of thine often infirmities;  

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  of certain men the sins are manifest beforehand, leading before to judgment, and certain also they follow after;  

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  in like manner also the right works are manifest beforehand, and those that are otherwise are not able to be hid.  

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