1 Timothy 5

The Family of Faith

1 Don't be harsh or impatient with an older man. Talk to him as you would your own father, and to the younger men as your brothers.2 Reverently honor an older woman as you would your mother, and the younger women as sisters.

3 Take care of widows who are destitute.4 If a widow has family members to take care of her, let them learn that religion begins at their own doorstep and that they should pay back with gratitude some of what they have received. This pleases God immensely.5 You can tell a legitimate widow by the way she has put all her hope in God, praying to him constantly for the needs of others as well as her own.6 But a widow who exploits people's emotions and pocketbooks-well, there's nothing to her.7 Tell these things to the people so that they will do the right thing in their extended family.8 Anyone who neglects to care for family members in need repudiates the faith. That's worse than refusing to believe in the first place.

9 Sign some widows up for the special ministry of offering assistance. They will in turn receive support from the church. They must be over sixty, married only once,10 and have a reputation for helping out with children, strangers, tired Christians, the hurt and troubled.

11 Don't put young widows on this list. No sooner will they get on than they'll want to get off, obsessed with wanting to get a husband rather than serving Christ in this way.12 By breaking their word, they're liable to go from bad to worse,13 frittering away their days on empty talk, gossip, and trivialities.14 No, I'd rather the young widows go ahead and get married in the first place, have children, manage their homes, and not give critics any foothold for finding fault.15 Some of them have already left and gone after Satan.

16 Any Christian woman who has widows in her family is responsible for them. They shouldn't be dumped on the church. The church has its hands full already with widows who need help.

17 Give a bonus to leaders who do a good job, especially the ones who work hard at preaching and teaching.18 Scripture tells us, "Don't muzzle a working ox," and, "A worker deserves his pay."

19 Don't listen to a complaint against a leader that isn't backed up by two or three responsible witnesses.

20 If anyone falls into sin, call that person on the carpet. Those who are inclined that way will know right off they can't get by with it.

21 God and Jesus and angels all back me up in these instructions. Carry them out without favoritism, without taking sides.22 Don't appoint people to church leadership positions too hastily. If a person is involved in some serious sins, you don't want to become an unwitting accomplice. In any event, keep a close check on yourself.23 And don't worry too much about what the critics will say. Go ahead and drink a little wine, for instance; it's good for your digestion, good medicine for what ails you.

24 The sins of some people are blatant and march them right into court. The sins of others don't show up until much later.25 The same with good deeds. Some you see right off, but none are hidden forever.

1 Timothy 6

1 Whoever is a slave must make the best of it, giving respect to his master so that outsiders don't blame God and our teaching for his behavior.

The Lust for Money

2 Slaves with Christian masters all the more so-their masters are really their beloved brothers!3 If you have leaders there who teach otherwise, who refuse the solid words of our Master Jesus and this godly instruction,4 tag them for what they are: ignorant windbags who infect the air with germs of envy, controversy, bad-mouthing, suspicious rumors.5 Eventually there's an epidemic of backstabbing, and truth is but a distant memory. They think religion is a way to make a fast buck.

6 A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God.7 Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless,8 if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.

9 But if it's only money these leaders are after, they'll self-destruct in no time.10 Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.

Running Hard

11 But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life-a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy.12 Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

13 I'm charging you before the life-giving God and before Christ, who took his stand before Pontius Pilate and didn't give an inch:14 Keep this command to the letter, and don't slack off. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way.15 He'll show up right on time, his arrival guaranteed by the Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High King, High God.16 He's the only one death can't touch, his light so bright no one can get close. He's never been seen by human eyes-human eyes can't take him in! Honor to him, and eternal rule! Oh, yes.

17 Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage -18 to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous.19 If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

20 And oh, my dear Timothy, guard the treasure you were given! Guard it with your life. Avoid the talk-show religion and the practiced confusion of the so-called experts.21 People caught up in a lot of talk can miss the whole point of faith. Overwhelming grace keep you!

2 Timothy 1

1 I, Paul, am on special assignment for Christ, carrying out God's plan laid out in the Message of Life by Jesus.2 I write this to you, Timothy, the son I love so much. All the best from our God and Christ be yours!

3 Every time I say your name in prayer-which is practically all the time-I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors.4 I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.

5 That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith-and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you!6 And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed-keep that ablaze!7 God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.

8 So don't be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God,9 who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it.10 But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.

11 This is the Message I've been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher.12 It's also the cause of all this trouble I'm in. But I have no regrets. I couldn't be more sure of my ground-the One I've trusted in can take care of what he's trusted me to do right to the end.

13 So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It's as sound as the day you first heard it from me.14 Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.

15 I'm sure you know by now that everyone in the province of Asia deserted me, even Phygelus and Hermogenes.16 But God bless Onesiphorus and his family! Many's the time I've been refreshed in that house. And he wasn't embarrassed a bit that I was in jail.17 The first thing he did when he got to Rome was look me up.18 May God on the Last Day treat him as well as he treated me. And then there was all the help he provided in Ephesus-but you know that better than I.