54:004:013 Till I come, give attendance to reading,
to exhortation, to
doctrine.
54:004:014 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which
was given thee by
prophecy,
with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
54:004:015 Meditate upon these things; give thyself
wholly to them; that
thy
profiting may appear to all.
54:004:016 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;
continue in
them:
for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and
them
that
hear thee.
54:005:001 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as
a father; and the
younger
men as brethren;
54:005:002 The elder women as mothers; the younger
as sisters, with all
purity.
54:005:003 Honour widows that are widows indeed.
54:005:004 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.
54:005:005 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate,
trusteth in God,
and
continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
54:005:006 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
54:005:007 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
54:005:008 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.
54:005:009 Let not a widow be taken into the number
under threescore
years
old, having been the wife of one man.
54:005:010 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 have
diligently
followed every good work.
54:005:011 But the younger widows refuse: for
when they have begun to wax
wanton
against Christ, they will marry;
54:005:012 Having damnation, because they have cast
off their first
faith.
54:005:013 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.
54:005:014 I will therefore that the younger women
marry, bear children,
guide
the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak
reproachfully.
54:005:015 For some are already turned aside after Satan.
54:005:016 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.
54:005:017 Let the elders that rule well be counted
worthy of double
honour,
especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.


