New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 Never 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.
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Don't be harsh or impatient with an older man. Talk to him as you would your own father, and to the younger men as your brothers.
2 Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.
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Reverently honor an older woman as you would your mother, and the younger women as sisters.
3 Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her.
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Take care of widows who are destitute.
4 But 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.
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If a widow has family members to take care of her, let them learn that religion begins at their own doorstep and that they should pay back with gratitude some of what they have received. This pleases God immensely.
5 Now 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.
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You can tell a legitimate widow by the way she has put all her hope in God, praying to him constantly for the needs of others as well as her own.
6 But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.
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But a widow who exploits people's emotions and pocketbooks - well, there's nothing to her.
7 Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism.
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Tell these things to the people so that they will do the right thing in their extended family.
8 But 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.
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Anyone who neglects to care for family members in need repudiates the faith. That's worse than refusing to believe in the first place.
9 A 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.
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Sign some widows up for the special ministry of offering assistance. They will in turn receive support from the church. They must be over sixty, married only once,
10 She 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?
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and have a reputation for helping out with children, strangers, tired Christians, the hurt and troubled.
11 The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry.
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Don't put young widows on this list. No sooner will they get on than they'll want to get off, obsessed with wanting to get a husband rather than serving Christ in this way.
12 Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge.
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By breaking their word, they're liable to go from bad to worse,
13 And 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.
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frittering away their days on empty talk, gossip, and trivialities.
14 So 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.
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No, I'd rather the young widows go ahead and get married in the first place, have children, manage their homes, and not give critics any foothold for finding fault.
15 For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.
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Some of them have already left and gone after Satan.
16 If 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.
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Any Christian woman who has widows in her family is responsible for them. They shouldn't be dumped on the church. The church has its hands full already with widows who need help.
17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.
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Give a bonus to leaders who do a good job, especially the ones who work hard at preaching and teaching.
18 For 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!”
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Scripture tells us, "Don't muzzle a working ox," and, "A worker deserves his pay."
19 Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses.
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Don't listen to a complaint against a leader that isn't backed up by two or three responsible witnesses.
20 Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others.
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If anyone falls into sin, call that person on the carpet. Those who are inclined that way will know right off they can't get by with it.
21 I 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.
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God and Jesus and angels all back me up in these instructions. Carry them out without favoritism, without taking sides.
22 Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader. Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
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Don't appoint people to church leadership positions too hastily. If a person is involved in some serious sins, you don't want to become an unwitting accomplice. In any event, keep a close check on yourself.
23 Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.
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And don't worry too much about what the critics will say. Go ahead and drink a little wine, for instance; it's good for your digestion, good medicine for what ails you.
24 Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later.
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The sins of some people are blatant and march them right into court. The sins of others don't show up until much later.
25 In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.
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The same with good deeds. Some you see right off, but none are hidden forever.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.