1 Timothy 5

¹Rebuke not an Elder, but exhort him as a father, and the yonger men as brethren,

²The elder women as mothers, the yonger as sisters, with all purenesse.

³Honour widowes, which are widowes in deede.

⁴But if any widowe haue children or nephewes, let them learne first to shewe godlinesse towarde their owne house, and to recompense their kinred: for that is an honest thing and acceptable before God.

⁵And shee that is a widowe in deede and left alone, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and praiers night and day.

⁶But shee that liueth in pleasure, is dead, while shee liueth.

⁷These things therefore warne them of, that they may be blamelesse.

⁸If there bee any that prouideth not for his owne, and namely for them of his housholde, hee denieth the faith, and is worse then an infidell.

⁹Let not a widow be taken into the number vnder three score yeere olde, that hath beene the wife of one husband,

¹⁰And well reported of for good woorkes: if shee haue nourished her children, if shee haue lodged the strangers, if shee haue washed the Saintes feete, if shee haue ministred vnto them which were in aduersitie, if shee were continually giuen vnto euery good woorke.

¹¹But refuse the yonger widowes: for when they haue begun to waxe wanton against Christ, they will marrie,

¹²Hauing damnation, because they haue broken the first faith.

And likewise also being idle they learne to goe about from house to house: yea, they are not onely ydle, but also pratlers and busibodies, speaking things which are not comely.