1 Timothy 5

¹An ancient man rebuke not, but entreat him as a father: young men, as brethren:

²Old women, as mothers: young women, as sisters, in all chastity.

³Honour widows, that are widows indeed.

⁴But 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.

⁵But she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, let her trust in God, and continue in supplications and prayers night and day.

⁶For she that liveth in pleasures, is dead while she is living.

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

⁸But 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.

⁹Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband.

¹⁰Having testimony for her good works, if she have brought up children, if she have received to harbour, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have ministered to them that suffer tribulation, if she have diligently followed every good work.

¹¹But the younger widows avoid. For when they have grown wanton in Christ, they will marry:

¹²Having damnation, because they have made void their first faith.

¹³And withal being idle they learn to go about from house to house: and are not only idle, but tattlers also, and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.