Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Living Translation NLT
1 An ancient man rebuke not, but entreat him as a father: young men, as brethren:
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.
2 Old women, as mothers: young women, as sisters, in all chastity.
2 Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.
3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.
3 Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her.
4 But if any widow have children or grandchildren, let her learn first to govern her own house and to make a return of duty to her parents; for this is acceptable before God.
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.
5 But she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, let her trust in God and continue in supplications and prayers night and day.
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.
6 For she that liveth in pleasures is dead while she is living.
6 But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.
7 And this give in charge, that they may be blameless.
7 Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism.
8 But if any man have not care of his own and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.
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.
9 Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband.
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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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?
11 But the younger widows avoid. For when they have grown wanton in Christ, they will marry:
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.
12 Having damnation, because they have made void their first faith.
12 Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge.
13 And withal being idle they learn to go about from house to house: and are not only idle, but tattlers also and busy bodies, speaking things which they ought not.
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.
14 I will, therefore, that the younger should marry, bear children, be mistresses of families, give no occasion to the adversary to speak evil.
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.
15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.
15 For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.
16 If any of the faithful have widows, let him minister to them, and let not the church be charged: that there may be sufficient for them that are widows indeed.
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.
17 Let the priests that rule well be esteemed worthy of double honour: especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.
18 For the scripture saith: Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn: and, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
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!”
19 Against a priest receive not an accusation, but under two or three witnesses.
19 Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses.
20 Them that sin reprove before all that the rest also may have fear.
20 Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others.
21 I charge thee, before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by declining to either side.
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.
22 Impose not hands lightly upon any man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins. Keep thyself chaste.
22 Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader. Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Do not still drink water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thy frequent infirmities.
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.
24 Some men’s sins are manifest, going before to judgment: and some men they follow after.
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.
25 In like manner also good deeds are manifest: and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
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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