Humanitext Reader

New Testament · 1 Timothy §5.1-5.25

Guidelines on Widows, Elders, and Believers

Passage 5 of 6 · Greek

Summary

This passage discusses how to treat different age groups within the community, the criteria for supporting widows, the treatment and discipline of elders, and personal instructions for Timothy.

§5.1Πρεσβυτέρῳ μὴ ἐπιπλήξῃς, ἀλλὰ παρακάλει ὡς πατέρα, νεωτέρους ὡς ἀδελφούς, §5.2πρεσβυτέρας ὡς μητέρας, νεωτέρας ὡς ἀδελφὰς ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνίᾳ.
Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
§5.3Χήρας τίμα τὰς ὄντως χήρας.
Honor widows who are truly widows.
§5.4εἰ δέ τις χήρα τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα ἔχει, μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν καὶ ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις, τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ.
But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
§5.5ἡ δὲ ὄντως χήρα καὶ μεμονωμένη "ἤλπικεν ἐπὶ [τὸν] θεὸν" καὶ προσμένει ταῖς δεήσεσιν καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας· §5.6ἡ δὲ σπαταλῶσα ζῶσα τέθνηκεν.
She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.
§5.7καὶ ταῦτα παράγγελλε, ἵνα ἀνεπίλημπτοι ὦσιν·
Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach.
§5.8εἰ δέ τις τῶν ἰδίων καὶ μάλιστα οἰκείων οὐ προνοεῖ, τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται καὶ ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων.
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
§5.9Χήρα καταλεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή, §5.10ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς μαρτυρουμένη, εἰ ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν, εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν, εἰ θλιβομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν, εἰ παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησεν.
Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work.
§5.11νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηνιάσωσιν τοῦ χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσιν, §5.12ἔχουσαι κρίμα ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν·
But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith.
§5.13ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσιν, περιερχόμεναι τὰς οἰκίας, οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀργαὶ ἀλλὰ καὶ φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι, λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα.
Besides that, they learn to be idlers, gadding about from house to house, and not only idlers but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.
§5.14βούλομαι οὖν νεῶτέρας γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν, μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν διδόναι τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοιδορίας χάριν·
So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander.
§5.15ἤδη γάρ τινες ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ.
For some have already strayed after Satan.
§5.16εἴ τις πιστὴ ἔχει χήρας, ἐπαρκείτω αὐταῖς, καὶ μὴ βαρείσθω ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἵνα ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκέσῃ.
If 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 who are truly widows.
§5.17Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν, μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ·
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
§5.18λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή "Βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις· " καὶ Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ. §5.19κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ "ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων· "
For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer deserves his wages." Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
§5.20τοὺς [δὲ] ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐνώπιον πάντων ἔλεγχε, ἵνα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ φόβον ἔχωσιν.
As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
§5.21Διαμαρτύρομαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων, ἵνα ταῦτα φυλάξῃς χωρὶς προκρίματος, μηδὲν ποιῶν κατὰ πρόσκλισιν.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.
§5.22Χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει, μηδὲ κοινωνει ἁμαρτίαις ἀλλοτρίαις· σεαυτὸν ἁγνὸν τήρει.
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
§5.23Μηκέτι ὑδροπότει, ἀλλὰ οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ διὰ τὸν στόμαχον καὶ τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας.
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
§5.24Τινῶν ἀνθρώπων αἱ ἁμαρτίαι πρόδηλοί εἰσιν, προάγουσαι εἰς κρίσιν, τισὶν δὲ καὶ ἐπακολουθοῦσιν·
The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.
§5.25ὡσαύτως καὶ τὰ ἔργα τὰ καλὰ πρόδηλα, καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα κρυβῆναι οὐ δύνανται.
So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

Notes

  1. 5.4μανθανέτωσαν — The subject of the third-person plural imperative μανθανέτωσαν (let them learn) is contextually the 'children or grandchildren' (τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα), rather than the widow herself, indicating the duty of the family to care for their own.
  2. 5.13ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσιν, περιερχόμεναι — The verb μανθάνουσιν (they learn) is combined here with the participle περιερχόμεναι (gadding about) and the adjective ἀργαί (idle) to express the acquisition of a habit: 'they learn to be idle, gadding about from house to house.'
  3. 5.17διπλῆς τιμῆς — The noun τιμή (honor) in the genitive phrase διπλῆς τιμῆς carries a double meaning of both abstract 'respect' and concrete 'remuneration/payment,' as supported by the quotation of 'wages' (μισθός) in the following verse.

Cite this passage

New Testament, 1 Timothy §5.1-5.25. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0031.tlg015.humanitext-grc2:5.1-5.25

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