| New Living Translation | Berean Study 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 rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat 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 absolute purity. |
| 3Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. | 3Honor the widows who are truly widows. |
| 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 must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of 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. | 5The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers. |
| 6But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives. | 6But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive. |
| 7Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism. | 7Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above 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. | 8If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, 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. | 9A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, the wife of one man, |
| 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 well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work. |
| 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 refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry, |
| 12Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. | 12and thus will incur judgment because they are setting aside their first faith. |
| 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. | 13At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention. |
| 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 advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander. |
| 15For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan. | 15For some have already turned aside 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 any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can 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 lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching 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 is worthy of his wages.” |
| 19Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. | 19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of 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. | 20But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin. |
| 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. | 21I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality. |
| 22Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader. Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. | 22Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in 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. | 23Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments. |
| 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 men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until 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. | 25In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden. |
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