1 Vecāku vīru nerāj, bet pamāci laipni kā tēvu, jaunākus kā brāļus, 2 vecākas sievas kā mātes, jaunākas kā māsas visā šķīstībā. 3 Godā atraitnes - tās, kas ir īstas atraitnes. 4 Bet, ja kādai atraitnei ir bērni vai bērnubērni, tad lai tie papriekš mācās pildīt savu godbijības pienākumu pret savu pašu dzimtu un dot pateicību saviem tēviem; jo tas Dievam labpatīk. 5 Bet īsta atraitne, viena pati palikusi, ir likusi savas cerības uz Dievu un pastāv lūgšanās un pielūgšanās nakti un dienu; 6 bet, kas dzīvo izlaidīgu dzīvi, tā, dzīva būdama, ir mirusi. 7 Piekodini arī to, lai viņas būtu nepeļamas. 8 Bet, ja kāds negādā par savējiem un visvairāk par saviem mājas ļaudīm, tad viņš ir aizliedzis ticību un ir ļaunāks par neticīgu. 9 Atraitnēs jāieskaita tāda, kas nav jaunāka par sešdesmit gadiem, kas bijusi viena vīra sieva, 10 kam ir labu darbu slava, ja viņa ir izaudzinājusi bērnus, ja viņa ir bijusi viesmīlīga, ja viņa ir mazgājusi svētajiem kājas, ja viņa ir nākusi palīgā apspiestajiem, ja viņa ir dzinusies pēc ikviena laba darba. 11 Bet jaunākas atraitnes noraidi, jo, kad viņas pārgalvībā novēršas no Kristus, tad viņas grib precēties 12 un pelna spriedumu, ka viņas ir lauzušas pirmo uzticību; 13 turklāt viņas mācās vēl arī dīkā dzīvot, staigādamas apkārt no mājas uz māju, taču ne tikai dīkā dzīvot, bet arī iznēsāt pļāpas un jaukties citu darīšanās, runājot to, kas neklājas. 14 Tad nu es gribu, lai jaunākās apprecētos, dzemdētu bērnus, valdītu māju, nedotu pretiniekam nekādu iemeslu nievāšanai, 15 jo dažas ir jau nogriezušās neceļos sātanam pakaļ. 16 Ja kādai ticīgajai ir atraitnes, tad lai viņa palīdz tām un lai netiek apgrūtināta draudze, ka tā var palīdzēt īstajām atraitnēm. 17 Presbiteri, kas ir labi priekšnieki, lai būtu divkārša goda cienīgi, visvairāk tie, kas darbojas sludināšanā un mācībā. 18 Proti, raksti saka: vērsim, kas klonā min labību, tev nebūs aizsiet purnu, un: strādnieks ir savas algas cienīgs. - 19 Pret presbiteru nepieņem sūdzību bez diviem vai trim lieciniekiem. 20 Tiem, kas grēko, pierādi viņu vainu, visiem klāt esot, lai arī citiem būtu bailes. 21 Es svēti piekodinu Dieva un Kristus Jēzus un izredzēto eņģeļu priekšā: turi šīs lietas bez aizsprieduma, nedarīdams neko ne aiz naida, ne aiz draudzības. 22 Rokas nesteidzies nevienam uzlikt un neuzņemies atbildību par svešiem grēkiem, sevi pašu glabā šķīstu. 23 Nedzer vairs ūdeni vien, bet lieto mazliet vīna sava kuņģa un savas biežās neveselības dēļ. 24 Dažu cilvēku grēki ir visiem zināmi un iet viņiem pa priekšu tiesā, bet citiem grēki arī vēl seko; 25 tāpat arī labie darbi ir visiem zināmi, un, kur tas tā vēl nav, tur tie nevar palikt apslēpti.
How To Act toward Others
1 Don't correct an older man. Encourage him, as you would your own father. Treat younger men as you would your own brother, 2 and treat older women as you would your own mother. Show the same respect to younger women that you would to your sister.
3 Take care of any widow who is really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn to serve God by taking care of her, as she once took care of them. This is what God wants them to do. 5 A widow who is really in need is one who doesn't have any relatives. She has faith in God, and she keeps praying to him night and day, asking for his help.
6 A widow who thinks only about having a good time is already dead, even though she is still alive.
7 Tell all this to everyone, so they will do the right thing. 8 People who don't take care of their relatives, and especially their own families, have given up their faith. They are worse than someone who doesn't have faith in the Lord.
9 For a widow to be put on the list of widows, she must be at least 60 years old, and she must have been faithful in marriage. 10 She must also be well-known for doing all sorts of good things, such as raising children, giving food to strangers, welcoming God's people into her home, helping people in need, and always making herself useful.
11 Don't put young widows on the list. They may later have a strong desire to get married. Then they will turn away from Christ 12 and become guilty of breaking their promise to him. 13 Besides, they will become lazy and get into the habit of going from house to house. Next, they will start gossiping and become busybodies, talking about things that are none of their business.
14 I would prefer that young widows get married, have children, and look after their families. Then the enemy won't have any reason to say insulting things about us. 15 Look what's already happened to some of the young widows! They have turned away to follow Satan.
16 If a woman who is a follower has any widows in her family, she should help them. This will keep the church from having that burden, and then the church can help widows who are really in need.
Church Leaders
17 Church leaders who do their job well deserve to be paid twice as much, especially if they work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 It is just as the Scriptures say, “Don't muzzle an ox when you are using it to grind grain.” You also know the saying, “Workers are worth their pay.”
19 Don't listen to any charge against a church leader, unless at least two or three people bring the same charges. 20 But if any of the leaders should keep on sinning, they must be corrected in front of the whole group, as a warning to everyone else.
21 In the presence of God and Christ Jesus and their chosen angels, I order you to follow my instructions! Be fair with everyone, and don't have any favorites.
22 Don't be too quick to accept people into the service of the Lord by placing your hands on them.
Don't sin because others do, but stay close to God.
23 Stop drinking only water. Take a little wine to help your stomach trouble and the other illnesses you often have.
24 Some people get caught in their sins almost at once, even before the time of judgment. But other people's sins don't show up until later. 25 It is the same with good deeds. Some are easily seen, but none of them can be hidden.
