1 Vana meest ära sõitle valjusti, vaid manitse teda kui isa, nooremaid kui vendi,
2 vanemaid naisi kui emasid, nooremaid kui õdesid kõiges meelepuhtuses.
3 Austa leski, kes on õiged lesknaised.
4 Aga kui kellelgi lesel on lapsi või lapselapsi, siis õppigu need esiti vagalt kohtlema oma majarahvast ja tasuma, mis nad on võlgu oma vanemaile. Sest see on meelepärane Jumala ees.
5 Aga kes õige lesk on ja üksi maha jäänud, see loodab Jumala peale ja jääb kindlasti anumistesse ja palvetesse ööd ja päevad.
6 Aga kes elab lihahimus, see on elusalt surnud.
7 Ja sedagi pane südamele, et nad oleksid laitmatud.
8 Aga kui keegi enese omaste ja iseäranis kodakondsete eest ei kanna hoolt, see on usu ära salanud ja on pahem kui uskmatu.
9 Leskede hulka loetagu ainult niisugune, kes on vähemalt kuuskümmend aastat vana ja on olnud ühe mehe naine,
10 ja kes on tunnustatud heade tegude poolest, kui ta on kasvatanud lapsi, kui ta on vastu võtnud võõraid, kui ta on pühade jalgu pesnud, kui ta on aidanud hädasolijaid, kui ta on püüdnud teha kõiksugust head.
11 Kuid nooremaid leski keeldu vastu võtmast, sest kui iharus neid Kristuse kiuste vallutab, siis nad tahavad minna mehele,
12 ja neid tuleb süüdistada selles, et nad on hüljanud esimese usu.
13 Kui nad on pealegi jõude, harjuvad nad käima mööda maju, ja siis ei ole nad mitte ainult jõude, vaid ka lobisejad ning uudishimulikud ja räägivad sobimatuid asju.
14 Ma tahan siis, et nooremad läheksid mehele ja tooksid lapsi ilmale, valitseksid majatalitusi ega annaks vastasele põhjust solvamiseks.
15 Sest mõned ongi juba pöördunud saatana jälgedesse.
16 Kui kellelgi usklikul mehel või naisel on leski omaste seas, siis nad hooldagu neid ja ärgu saagu need koormaks Kogudusele, et see võiks hooldada tõelisi leski.
17 Vanemaid, kes hästi juhatavad Kogudusi, peetagu kahekordse austuse vääriliseks, eriti neid, kes töötavad sõnas ja õpetuses.
18 Sest Kiri ütleb: „Ära seo kinni härja suud, kui ta pahmast tallab!" ja: „Töötegija on oma palga väärt!"
19 Vanema vastu tõstetud kaebust ära võta kuulda, kui ei ole juures kaht või kolme tunnistajat.
20 Kes pattu teevad, neid noomi kõikide ees, et ka teistel oleks hirm.
21 Ma vannutan sind Jumala ja Kristuse Jeesuse ja äravalitud inglite ees, et sa seda pead silmas ilma eelarvamiseta ega tee midagi erapoolikult.
22 Ära ole kärmas kellelegi käsi pea peale panema ja ära tee ennast teiste pattude osaliseks. Pea ennast puhtana.
23 Ära joo enam ainult vett, vaid tarvita pisut viina oma kõhu pärast ja oma sageda põdemise pärast.
24 Mõnede inimeste patud on kohe avalikud ja on kohe hukkamõistetavad, aga mõnede omad saavad tagantjärele ilmsiks.
25 Samuti on ka head teod kohe avalikud, ja needki, mis seda ei ole, ei või jääda varjule.
1 Do not say sharp words to one who has authority in the church, but let your talk be as to a father, and to the younger men as to brothers:
2 To the older women as to mothers, to the younger as to sisters, with a clean heart.
3 Give honour to widows who are truly widows.
4 But if any widow has children or children's children, let these see that it is right to take care of their family and their fathers and mothers: for this is pleasing in the eyes of God.
5 Now she who is truly a widow and without family puts her hope in God, giving herself to prayer day and night.
6 But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she is living.
7 Give orders to this effect, so that no evil may be said of anyone.
8 If anyone has no care for his family and those in his house, he is false to the faith, and is worse than one who has no faith.
9 Let no woman be numbered among the widows who is under sixty years old, and only if she has been the wife of one man,
10 And if witness is given of her good works; if she has had the care of children, if she has been kind to travellers, washing the feet of the saints, helping those who are in trouble, giving herself to good works.
11 But to the younger widows say No: for when their love is turned away from Christ, they have a desire to be married;
12 And they are judged because they have been false to their first faith;
13 And they get into the way of doing no work, going about from house to house; and not only doing no work, but talking foolishly, being over-interested in the business of others, saying things which they have no right to say.
14 So it is my desire that the younger widows may be married and have children, controlling their families, and giving the Evil One no chance to say anything against them,
15 For even now some are turned away to Satan.
16 If any woman of the faith has relations who are widows, let her give them help, so that the care of them does not come on the church, and so it may give help to those who are truly widowed.
17 Let rulers whose rule is good be honoured twice over, specially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
18 For the Writings say, It is not right to keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it. And, The worker has a right to his reward.
19 Do not take as true any statement made against one in authority, but only if two or three give witness to it.
20 Say sharp words to sinners when all are present, so that the rest may be in fear.
21 I give you orders before God and Christ Jesus and the angels of God's selection, to keep these orders without giving thought to one side more than another.
22 Do not put hands on any man without thought, and have no part in other men's sins: keep yourself clean.
23 Do not take only water as your drink, but take a little wine for the good of your stomach, and because you are frequently ill.
24 The sins of some men are clearly seen, going before them to be judged; but with others, their sins go after them.
25 In the same way, there are good works which are clearly seen; and those which are not so, may not be kept secret.