New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
1 Timothy 5
1
Don't tell an older man off. Make an appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as if they were your brothers.
Reference
2
Treat older women as if they were your mothers. Treat younger women as if they were your sisters. Be completely pure in the way you treat them.
Reference
4
But suppose a widow has children or grandchildren. They should first learn to put their faith into practice. They should care for their own family. In that way they will pay back their parents and grandparents. That pleases God.
Reference
Good
1 Timothy 2:3
Parallel theme
Genesis 47:12
Proverbs 31:28
Luke 2:51
Ruth 2:2
Ruth 2:18
Isaiah 14:22
Job 18:19
Genesis 47:28
Judges 12:14
5
The widow who really needs help and is left all alone puts her hope in God. Night and day she keeps on praying. Night and day she asks God for help.
Reference
Faith
1 Timothy 5:16
1 Peter 3:5
Psalm 91:4
Parallel theme
1 Timothy 5:3
1 Corinthians 7:32
Prayer
Luke 2:37
Luke 18:1
Ephesians 6:18
References God
Luke 18:7
8
Everyone should provide for his own relatives. Most of all, everyone should take care of his own family. If he doesn't, he has left the faith. He is worse than someone who doesn't believe.
Reference
Faith
Galatians 6:10
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 12:14
Isaiah 58:7
Titus 1:16
Matthew 7:11
2 Timothy 3:5
Genesis 30:30
9
No widow should be put on the list of widows unless she is more than 60 years old. She must also have been faithful to her husband.
Reference
10
She must be well known for the good things she does. That includes bringing up children. It includes inviting guests into her home. It includes washing the feet of God's people. It includes helping those who are in trouble. A widow should spend her time doing all kinds of good things.
Reference
Good
1 Timothy 6:18
Titus 3:8
Acts 9:36
Matthew 5:16
Titus 2:7
1 Peter 2:12
Titus 3:1
2 Timothy 3:17
Holy
Romans 12:13
Parallel theme
Luke 7:44
11
Don't put younger widows on that kind of list. They might want pleasure more than they want Christ. Then they would want to get married again.
Reference
13
Besides, they get into the habit of having nothing to do. They go around from house to house. They waste time. They talk about others. They bother people. They say things they shouldn't say.
Reference
Kingdom
Acts 20:30
Luke 10:7
Parallel theme
Proverbs 20:19
Proverbs 31:27
Acts 20:20
Leviticus 19:16
Titus 1:11
James 3:10
1 Peter 4:15
3 John 1:10
14
So here is the advice I give to younger widows. Get married. Have children. Take care of your own homes. Don't give the enemy the chance to tell lies about you.
Reference
16
Suppose a woman is a believer and has widows in her family. She should help them. She shouldn't let the church pay the expenses. Then the church can help the widows who really need it.
Reference
Faith
1 Timothy 5:8
17
The elders who do the church's work well are worth twice as much honor. That is true in a special way of elders who preach and teach.
Reference
18
Scripture says, "Do not stop the ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw."--(Deuteronomy 25:4) Scripture also says, "Workers are worthy of their pay."--(Luke 10:7)
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 25:4
1 Corinthians 9:14
Luke 10:7
Matthew 10:10
Leviticus 19:13
Word
James 4:5
Romans 10:11
Romans 9:17
19
Don't believe a charge against an elder unless two or three witnesses bring it.
Reference
Parallel theme
Titus 1:6
Acts 25:16
Witness
Matthew 18:16
Deuteronomy 19:15
2 Corinthians 13:1
Deuteronomy 17:6
Hebrews 10:28
20
Elders who sin should be corrected in front of the other believers. That will be a warning to the others.
Reference
21
I command you to follow those directions. I command you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels. Treat everyone the same. Don't favor one person over another.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jude 1:6
Matthew 25:41
References Christ
2 Corinthians 5:16
References God
2 Peter 2:4
References Jesus
1 Timothy 6:13
2 Timothy 4:1
References Lord
2 Timothy 2:14
22
Don't be too quick to place your hands on others to set them apart to serve God. Don't take part in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
Reference
23
Stop drinking only water. If your stomach is upset, drink a little wine. It can also help the other sicknesses you often have.
Reference
24
The sins of some people are easy to see. They are already being judged. Others will be judged later.
Reference
Summary of 1 Timothy 5
1 Timothy 5 provides detailed instructions for how Christians should treat one another as members of a spiritual family, how the church should care for widows and other vulnerable people, how families should accept their responsibility before expecting church assistance, and how elders and potential leaders should be supported, evaluated, corrected, and appointed with fairness and careful discernment.
Paul first teaches Timothy to treat older men and women as fathers and mothers and younger believers as brothers and sisters, establishing a respectful, pure, and family-like approach to relationships within the congregation.
The chapter then gives extensive instructions concerning widows, recognizing that some genuinely lack family support and therefore deserve assistance from the church, while emphasizing that children and grandchildren should normally care for their own relatives whenever they are able.
Paul considers family responsibility to be so important that someone who refuses to provide for close relatives is described as having denied the faith, because genuine Christian belief should produce practical responsibility toward those who depend upon us.
He describes faithful widows as women who place their hope in God, continue in prayer, and have demonstrated a life of good works, hospitality, service, and care for others.
At the same time, Paul advises caution concerning younger widows because their circumstances may change, potentially leading them away from commitments to church service, while idleness could also result in gossip, unnecessary interference, and behavior that damages the congregation's reputation.
Paul therefore recommends that younger widows who are able to do so should establish productive households through marriage, family responsibilities, and honorable conduct, while believing relatives should continue supporting widows within their own families.
The chapter then turns toward church elders, teaching that those who lead well, especially those who labor diligently in preaching and teaching, deserve appropriate honor and material support.
Paul also establishes safeguards against false accusations, requiring multiple witnesses before an accusation against an elder is accepted, while insisting that persistent serious sin must be confronted publicly so that both the offender and the congregation understand its seriousness.
Timothy is solemnly charged to handle these matters without prejudice or favoritism, because church leadership requires impartial judgment regardless of personal relationships or social status.
Paul further warns Timothy not to appoint leaders too quickly, because character must be examined over time and hidden weaknesses may eventually become visible, while genuine good works that initially remain unnoticed will also eventually become evident.
The central message of 1 Timothy 5 is that the church should function as a responsible spiritual family in which older and younger believers treat one another with dignity, vulnerable widows receive appropriate care, families fulfill their own responsibilities before relying upon church resources, faithful elders receive proper support, serious wrongdoing is confronted fairly, accusations are carefully examined, and leaders are appointed only after their character has been patiently tested and their good works have been demonstrated.
Paul first teaches Timothy to treat older men and women as fathers and mothers and younger believers as brothers and sisters, establishing a respectful, pure, and family-like approach to relationships within the congregation.
The chapter then gives extensive instructions concerning widows, recognizing that some genuinely lack family support and therefore deserve assistance from the church, while emphasizing that children and grandchildren should normally care for their own relatives whenever they are able.
Paul considers family responsibility to be so important that someone who refuses to provide for close relatives is described as having denied the faith, because genuine Christian belief should produce practical responsibility toward those who depend upon us.
He describes faithful widows as women who place their hope in God, continue in prayer, and have demonstrated a life of good works, hospitality, service, and care for others.
At the same time, Paul advises caution concerning younger widows because their circumstances may change, potentially leading them away from commitments to church service, while idleness could also result in gossip, unnecessary interference, and behavior that damages the congregation's reputation.
Paul therefore recommends that younger widows who are able to do so should establish productive households through marriage, family responsibilities, and honorable conduct, while believing relatives should continue supporting widows within their own families.
The chapter then turns toward church elders, teaching that those who lead well, especially those who labor diligently in preaching and teaching, deserve appropriate honor and material support.
Paul also establishes safeguards against false accusations, requiring multiple witnesses before an accusation against an elder is accepted, while insisting that persistent serious sin must be confronted publicly so that both the offender and the congregation understand its seriousness.
Timothy is solemnly charged to handle these matters without prejudice or favoritism, because church leadership requires impartial judgment regardless of personal relationships or social status.
Paul further warns Timothy not to appoint leaders too quickly, because character must be examined over time and hidden weaknesses may eventually become visible, while genuine good works that initially remain unnoticed will also eventually become evident.
The central message of 1 Timothy 5 is that the church should function as a responsible spiritual family in which older and younger believers treat one another with dignity, vulnerable widows receive appropriate care, families fulfill their own responsibilities before relying upon church resources, faithful elders receive proper support, serious wrongdoing is confronted fairly, accusations are carefully examined, and leaders are appointed only after their character has been patiently tested and their good works have been demonstrated.