| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard 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 exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, |
| 2older women like mothers, and younger women like sisters, with absolute purity. | 2older women as mothers, and with all propriety, the younger women as sisters. |
| 3Honor widows who have no other family members to care for them. | 3Support widows who are genuinely 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 any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases 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 real widow, left all alone, has put 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. | 6however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. |
| 7Continue to give these instructions, so that they may be blameless. | 7Command this also, so they won't be blamed. |
| 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. | 8But if anyone does not provide for his own, that is 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. | 9No widow should be placed on the official support list unless she is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband, |
| 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 is well known for good works--that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints' feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted 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 they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry |
| 12They receive condemnation because they have set aside their prior commitment to the Messiah. | 12and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. |
| 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 also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn't say. |
| 14Therefore, I want younger widows to remarry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them. | 14Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. |
| 15For some widows have already turned away to follow Satan. | 15For some have already turned away 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 widows in her family, she should help them, and the church should not be burdened, so that it can help those who are genuinely widows. |
| 17Elders who handle their duties well should be considered worthy of double compensation, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. | 17The elders who are good leaders should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium, 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." | 19Don't accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by 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. | 20Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will also be afraid. |
| 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 observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism. |
| 22Do not ordain anyone hastily. Do not participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. | 22Don't be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder, and don't 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. | 23Don't continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. |
| 24The sins of some people are obvious, leading them to judgment. The sins of others follow them there. | 24Some people's sins are obvious, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others surface later. |
| 25In the same way, good actions are obvious, and those that are not cannot remain hidden. | 25Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden. |
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