2. 1 Timothy 5:1-16 – “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. Honour widows that are widows indeed. 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. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

3. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. 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. Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man. 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

4. have diligently followed every good work. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. 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. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

5. For some are already turned aside after Satan. 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.”

6. Verses 1-2: “Rebuke not an elder”: The elder here is referring to age not the office I Timothy 4:12 – “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers.”

7. Verses 1-2: “Intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren”: Timothy is to treat both old and young as members of the family “The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters”: Timothy is to treat the women with the same mutual respect “With all purity”: Any impropriety can ruin a ministry

8. Verse 3: “Honor the widows”: Honor is a command to show respect demonstrated by one’s attitude

9. Verse 4: “But if any widow have children or nephews”: If widows had descendants it was their obligation to take care of them

10. Verse 5: “Now”: In contrast, widows without relatives to care for them “A widow indeed, and desolate”: Has some guidelines to meet before becoming the responsibility of the church

11. Verse 5: “Trusteth in God” – She must be a Christian – She should be giving herself to spiritual matters “Supplications and prayers”: With her hardships she has faced she can have a heart for others and intercede for them

12. Verse 6: “But she that liveth in pleasure”: Her way of life is one of pleasure “Is dead while she liveth”: She is useless to God and others while she lives

13. Verses 7-8: Failure to provide for one’s family is equal to denying the faith

14. Verses 9-10: “Taken into number”: The church at Ephesus seems to have had a list of widows supported by the Church

15. Verses 11-12: “But the younger widows refuse”: They are not the responsibility of the church “Wax wanton against Christ, they will marry”: Carries with it the idea of having sexual desires to which she yields and marries again

16. Verses 11-12: “Having damnation”: That she marries an unbeliever I Corinthians 7:39 – “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.”

17. Verses 13-14: Therefore he advises younger widows to remarry

18. Verse 15: “For some are already turned aside after Satan”: His concern was over remarriage to an unbeliever

19. Verse 16: “Let not the church be charged”: Believers are to take care of their own relatives so the church can take care of those who have no one to care for them