1 Timothy 4:16-6:19

English Standard Version

^16 (A)Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save ^(B)both yourself and ^(C)your hearers.

Instructions for the Church

5 ^(D)Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, ^(E)younger men as brothers, ² older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

³ Honor widows ^(F)who are truly widows. ⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn ^(G)to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for ^(H)this is pleasing in the sight of God. ⁵ She ^(I)who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and ^(J)continues in supplications and prayers night and day, ⁶ but ^(K)she who is self-indulgent is ^(L)dead even while she lives. ^7 (M)Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. ⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for ^(N)members of his household, he has ^(O)denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹ Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been ^(P)the wife of one husband,^{[a] 10} and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has ^(Q)shown hospitality, ^(R)has washed the feet of the saints, has ^(S)cared for the afflicted, and has ^(T)devoted herself to every good work. ¹¹ But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when ^(U)their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry ¹² and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. ¹³ Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also ^(V)gossips and ^(W)busybodies, saying what they should not. ¹⁴ So I would have ^(X)younger widows marry, bear children, ^(Y)manage their households, and ^(Z)give the adversary no occasion for slander. ^15 (AA)For some have already strayed after Satan. ¹⁶ If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those ^(AB)who are truly widows.

¹⁷ Let the elders ^(AC)who rule well be considered worthy of ^(AD)double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For the Scripture says, ^(AE)“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, ^(AF)“The laborer deserves his wages.” ¹⁹ Do not admit a charge against an elder except ^(AG)on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁰ As for those who persist in sin, ^(AH)rebuke them in the presence of all, ^(AI)so that the rest may stand in fear. ²¹ In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels ^(AJ)I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, ^(AK)doing nothing from partiality. ^22 (AL)Do not be hasty in the ^(AM)laying on of hands, nor ^(AN)take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. ²³ (No longer drink only water, but ^(AO)use a little wine ^(AP)for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) ²⁴ The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. ²⁵ So also good works are conspicuous, and ^(AQ)even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

6 ^(AR)Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants^[b] regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, ^(AS)so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. ² Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are ^(AT)brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

False Teachers and True Contentment

^(AU)Teach and urge these things. ³ If anyone ^(AV)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with ^(AW)the sound^[c] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching ^(AX)that accords with godliness, ^4 (AY)he is puffed up with conceit and ^(AZ)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for ^(BA)controversy and for ^(BB)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people ^(BC)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, ^(BD)imagining that godliness is a means of gain. ⁶ But ^(BE)godliness ^(BF)with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for ^(BG)we brought nothing into the world, and^[d] we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But ^(BH)if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But ^(BI)those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, ^(BJ)into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that ^(BK)plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of ^(BL)all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

¹¹ But as for you, ^(BM)O man of God, ^(BN)flee these things. ^(BO)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ^12 (BP)Fight the good fight of the faith. ^(BQ)Take hold of the eternal life ^(BR)to which you were called and about which you made ^(BS)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ^13 (BT)I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, ^(BU)who in his testimony before^[e] Pontius Pilate made ^(BV)the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until ^(BW)the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display ^(BX)at the proper time—he who is ^(BY)the blessed and only Sovereign, ^(BZ)the King of kings and Lord of lords, ^16 (CA)who alone has immortality, ^(CB)who dwells in ^(CC)unapproachable light, ^(CD)whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

¹⁷ As for the rich in ^(CE)this present age, charge them ^(CF)not to be haughty, nor ^(CG)to set their hopes on ^(CH)the uncertainty of riches, but on God, ^(CI)who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ They are to do good, ^(CJ)to be rich in good works, to be generous and ^(CK)ready to share, ¹⁹ thus ^(CL)storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may ^(CM)take hold of ^(CN)that which is truly life.