| International Standard Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men like brothers, | 1Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers, |
| 2older women like mothers, and younger women like sisters, with absolute purity. | 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. |
| 3Honor widows who have no other family members to care for them. | 3Honor the widows who are truly widows. |
| 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to respect their own family by repaying their parents, for this is pleasing in God's sight. | 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. |
| 5A woman who has no other family members to care for her and who is left all alone has placed her hope in God and devotes herself to petitions and prayers night and day. | 5The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers. |
| 6But the self-indulgent widow is just as good as dead. | 6But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive. |
| 7Continue to give these instructions, so that they may be blameless. | 7Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach. |
| 8If anyone does not take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. | 8If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. |
| 9A widow may be put on the widows' list if she is at least sixty years old and has been the wife of one husband. | 9A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, the wife of one man, |
| 10She must be well known for her good actions as a woman who has raised children, welcomed strangers, washed the saints' feet, helped the suffering, and devoted herself to doing good in every way. | 10and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work. |
| 11But do not include younger widows on your list. For whenever their natural desires cause them to lose their devotion to the Messiah, they want to remarry. | 11But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry, |
| 12They receive condemnation because they have set aside their prior commitment to the Messiah. | 12and thus will incur judgment because they are setting aside their first faith. |
| 13At the same time, they also learn how to be lazy while going from house to house. Not only this, but they even become gossips and keep busy by interfering in other people's lives, saying things they should not say. | 13At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention. |
| 14Therefore, I want younger widows to remarry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them. | 14So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander. |
| 15For some widows have already turned away to follow Satan. | 15For some have already turned aside to follow Satan. |
| 16If any woman is a believer and has relatives who are widows, she should help them. The church should not be burdened, so it can help those widows who have no other family members to care for them. | 16If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need. |
| 17Elders who handle their duties well should be considered worthy of double compensation, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. | 17Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. |
| 18For the Scripture says, "You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain," and, "A worker deserves his pay." | 18For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.” |
| 19Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported "by two or three witnesses." | 19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses. |
| 20As for those who keep on sinning, rebuke them in front of everyone so that the rest will also be afraid. | 20But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin. |
| 21With God as my witness, as well as the Messiah Jesus and the chosen angels, I solemnly call on you to carry out these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality. | 21I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality. |
| 22Do not ordain anyone hastily. Do not participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. | 22Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. |
| 23Stop drinking only water, but use a little wine for your stomach because of your frequent illnesses. | 23Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments. |
| 24The sins of some people are obvious, leading them to judgment. The sins of others follow them there. | 24The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until later. |
| 25In the same way, good actions are obvious, and those that are not cannot remain hidden. | 25In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. |
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