| International Standard Version | NET 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 address an older man harshly but appeal to him as a father. Speak to 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 complete purity. |
| 3Honor widows who have no other family members to care for them. | 3Honor widows who are truly in need. |
| 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 should first learn to fulfill their duty toward their own household and so repay their parents what is owed them. For this is what 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. | 5But the widow who is truly in need, and completely on her own, has set her hope on God and continues in her pleas and prayers night and day. |
| 6But the self-indulgent widow is just as good as dead. | 6But the one who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. |
| 7Continue to give these instructions, so that they may be blameless. | 7Reinforce these commands, so that they will be beyond 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. | 8But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, 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 put on the list unless she is at least sixty years old, was 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 has a reputation for good works: as one who has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, helped those in distress--as one who has exhibited all kinds of good works. |
| 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 do not accept younger widows on the list, because their passions may lead them away from Christ and they will desire to marry, |
| 12They receive condemnation because they have set aside their prior commitment to the Messiah. | 12and so incur judgment for breaking their former 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. | 13And besides that, going around from house to house they learn to be lazy, and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not. |
| 14Therefore, I want younger widows to remarry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them. | 14So I want younger women to marry, raise children, and manage a household, in order to give the adversary no opportunity to vilify us. |
| 15For some widows have already turned away to follow Satan. | 15For some have already wandered 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 a believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. The church should not be burdened, so that it may 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 provide effective leadership must be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking 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 deserves his pay." |
| 19Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported "by two or three witnesses." | 19Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it can be confirmed 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. | 20Those guilty of sin must be rebuked before all, as a warning to the rest. |
| 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. | 21Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind. |
| 22Do not ordain anyone hastily. Do not participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. | 22Do not lay hands on anyone hastily and so identify with the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. |
| 23Stop drinking only water, but use a little wine for your stomach because of your frequent illnesses. | 23(Stop drinking just water, but use a little wine for your digestion and your frequent illnesses.) |
| 24The sins of some people are obvious, leading them to judgment. The sins of others follow them there. | 24The sins of some people are obvious, going before them into judgment, but for others, they show up later. |
| 25In the same way, good actions are obvious, and those that are not cannot remain hidden. | 25Similarly good works are also obvious, and the ones that are not cannot remain hidden. |
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