| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. | 1Do not address an older man harshly but appeal to him as a father. Speak to younger men as brothers, |
| 2Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters. | 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters--with complete purity. |
| 3Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. | 3Honor widows who are truly in need. |
| 4But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. | 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. |
| 5Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help. | 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 widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives. | 6But the one who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. |
| 7Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism. | 7Reinforce these commands, so that they will be beyond reproach. |
| 8But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. | 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 who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her 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 respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good? | 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. |
| 11The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will 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, |
| 12Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. | 12and so incur judgment for breaking their former pledge. |
| 13And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t. | 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. |
| 14So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against 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 I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan. | 15For some have already wandered away to follow Satan. |
| 16If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone. | 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 do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both 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 to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their 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 listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. | 19Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it can be confirmed by two or three witnesses. |
| 20Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others. | 20Those guilty of sin must be rebuked before all, as a warning to the rest. |
| 21I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the highest angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone. | 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. |
| 22Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader. Do not share 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. |
| 23Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often. | 23(Stop drinking just water, but use a little wine for your digestion and your frequent illnesses.) |
| 24Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later. | 24The sins of some people are obvious, going before them into judgment, but for others, they show up later. |
| 25In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light. | 25Similarly good works are also obvious, and the ones that are not cannot remain hidden. |
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