1 Timothy 5:1-16 Lesson 404

1 Timothy 5:1-16
Lesson 404

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:
More instructions.
Running a thriving church.
Caring for widows, the young, and the old.

Study Tip:

Take notes.
Notes help us learn and remember.
They keep us organized, focused and help us follow up on thoughts.
Plus, we can carry notes to review and meditate on as we go about our day.

The First Epistle of Paul The Apostle To Timothy

The King James Bible

1 Timothy 5 1-16
Elders

1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.

10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.

16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

Margin notes:

"Intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren." (5:1) - "Talk to (older) men as you would your father and younger men as brothers." In other words, treat fellow believers as family.

"The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity." (5:2) - "Treat older women as your mother, and younger women as sisters, with honor."

"Honour widows that are widows indeed." (5:3) - "Respect widows that have no one."

"Requite their parents." (5:4) - "Repay their parents." Children should repay their parents for their love and care as called for in the fifth commandment, "Honour thy father and thy mother (Exodus 20:12).

"Desolate." (5:5) - Means alone, without any family.

"Dead while she liveth." (5:6) - This means physically alive but spiritually dead.

"These things give in charge." - (5:7) - "Demand these things."

"If any provide not for his own." (5:8) - "If anyone doesn't help his own."

"He hath denied the faith." (5:8) - Christians confirm or deny their faith by the way they live (Titus 1:16).

"Worse than an infidel." (5:8) - "Worse than a non-believer." Christian's who refuse to help elderly family members are worse than unbelievers.

"Let no a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old." (5:9) - "Don't put a widow on the support list if she's under sixty years old."

"Well reported of for good works." (5:10) - "Well known for good works."

"When they have begun to wax wanton against Christ." (5:11) - "When they begin to turn away from Christ."

"They have cast off their first faith." (5:12) - "They have rejected their first pledge."

"And withal they learn to be idle." (5:13) - "And besides, they will learn to be lazy."

"Tattlers also." (5:13) - "Gossips also."

"I will therefore that the younger women marry." (5:14) - "I prefer that the younger women (widows) remarry."

"Give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully." (5:14) - "Give no reason for non-believers to speak against us."

"Some are already turned aside after Satan." (5:15) - "Some have already turned away and follow Satan."

"If any man or woman that believeth." (5:16) - "If any man or woman who is a Christian."

"Let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed." (5:16) - "Don't let the church be burdened, so that it can help those who have no one."

In Paul's day, it was difficult for women to find work. So, it was important to care for widows. That is why the first seven deacons were appointed (Acts 6:1-6).

New Living Translation

1 Timothy 5:1-16
Advice about Widows, Elders, and Slaves

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 Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.

3 Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her.

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 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 But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.

7 Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism.

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 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.

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 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 Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge.

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 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 I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow 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.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. Who is Satan (5:15)?

Strengthen your relationship with God by studying the Bible every day.

Answers: (Do you agree?)

1. The name Satan means "adversary." Satan is an actual figure. He is a fallen angel who roams the earth (Job 2:2) working against humanity (Ephesians 6:12). We first met Satan in the Old Testament, where he tested Job's faith (Job 1:6-12). In the New Testament, he tested Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Jesus denounced Satan as "a murderer" and called him "the wicked one" (Matthew 13:19) who lives "not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.... He is a liar" (John 8:44). Satan is the lord of evil, "the prince of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30), "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2), "the tempter" (1 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), and the enemy of mankind (Luke 22:31; 1 Peter 5:8). Satan convinced Judas to betray Jesus (John 13:26-27), and constantly tries to get the better of us (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Application thought for the day:

What insights does this passage hold? How can you apply them to your life?

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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