Specific Regulations for Various Groups[a]
Chapter 5
Different Age Groups.[b] 1 Never speak harshly to an older man; rather, appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with the greatest purity.
Widows.[c] 3 Give proper consideration to those widows who are truly in need. 4 If a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to carry out their religious duty to their own family and repay their debt to their parents, for this is pleasing in the eyes of God.
5 However, a widow who is truly in need and is alone in the world places all her trust in God and never ceases her prayers and supplications night and day. 6 But the widow who is interested solely in pleasure is dead even while she lives.
7 Insist upon these things, so that people may be beyond reproach. 8 And whoever does not provide for relatives, especially for those who are living with him, has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 A woman should not be enrolled as a widow if she is not at least sixty years old. In addition, she must have been married only once, 10 and have a reputation for good works by bringing up her children, offering hospitality to strangers, washing the feet of the saints,[d] helping those in distress, and being active in all kinds of good work.
11 However, refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions distract them from the service of Christ, they will want to marry again 12 and will incur condemnation for having broken their original vow. 13 In addition, they fall into the habit of being idle, as they go around from house to house, and also become gossips and busybodies, saying things that would better be left unsaid.
14 Therefore, I think younger widows should marry again, bear children, and manage their households, so as not to give our enemies any occasion to revile us. 15 Indeed, some have already turned away to follow Satan.
16 If any woman believer has relatives who are widows, she must assist them herself. The Church should be free of such burdens and consequently able to assist those who are widows in the true sense.
17 Presbyters.[e] Presbyters who do their duty well should be considered deserving of a double honor,[f] especially those who labor at preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “A worker deserves his wages.”[g]
19 Never accept any accusation brought against a presbyter except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them publicly, so that the others may also be afraid.
21 In the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels,[h] I charge you to follow these rules impartially and without being influenced by any favoritism. 22 Do not lay hands on others too hastily or you may find yourself regarded as an accomplice in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Stop drinking nothing but water. Take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
24 The sins of some people are so flagrant that they are publicly known before judgment, while the sins of others will only become known later on. 25 In the same manner, good works are often easily recognized, but even if they are not, they cannot remain hidden forever.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 5:1 Paul sets forth the attitude that Timothy should have toward various groups in his Church: the old and the young, widows, presbyters, and slaves. With reference to slavery, one should note that the New Testament does not attack the institution directly but attacks the principle of slavery. For Christian slaves are freedmen of the Lord and their owners are slaves of the Lord (1 Cor 7:21-23). In Christ Jesus there is no distinction between slave and free; all are baptized in one Spirit and form one body (see 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11). Ultimately, the principle of Christian love prevented Christians from regarding other human beings as slaves.
- 1 Timothy 5:1 The apostle must have an attitude of respect and closeness for the different categories of the faithful.
- 1 Timothy 5:3 In reading this passage, the circumstances of the period and concrete conditions in the community must be taken into account. Different types of widows are discussed. Some have a family; in their case, the accent is placed upon a true exchange on the family level. Other widows are all alone; they can serve the Church and are taken into her care.
When he speaks of young widows, the author cannot resist injecting a caricatural trait; he refuses to let them engage in the exclusive service of Christ and the Church out of fear that later events in their existence may take away their initial enthusiasm. It seems that some communities had the bad experience of premature vows. (1 Corinthians 7:9, 40 exhibited much less distrust in such cases.) It is interesting to note the existence of organized groups of widows in the community. - 1 Timothy 5:10 Washing the feet of the saints, i.e., the faithful, was a ritual of hospitality (see Lk 7:44; Jn 13:1ff). It was necessary because the roads were dusty and the footwear consisted of sandals.
- 1 Timothy 5:17 Presbyters do not seem to be on the same level as the bishops (i.e., “overseers”) mentioned earlier (1 Tim 3:1-7), although they preside at the Liturgy and explain the Scriptures. This fact seems to pave the way for the monarchical episcopate that developed in the Church during the second and third centuries. The poverty required of his ministers by Christ does not prevent the Gospel workers from earning a living by their labor, even though Paul himself has always refused to accept any assistance. But anyone who has the desire to serve the Church must have shown to be a serious Christian. The responsibility for the community must not be conferred lightly on anyone.
Paul then places his full attention on his favorite disciple (v. 23). - 1 Timothy 5:17 Double honor: i.e., respect and an honorarium for their labor.
- 1 Timothy 5:18 Both citations (Deut 25:4 and Lk 10:7) are called “Scripture.” This shows that whatever portions of the New Testament were available at the time were already regarded as equal to the Old Testament in authority.
- 1 Timothy 5:21 The chosen angels: in contrast to the fallen angels (see 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6).