Letters to the Churches

Here is a statement you can trust, one that fully deserves to be accepted

(indeed, it is for this that we toil and strive): we have our hope set on a living God who is the deliverer of all humanity, especially of those who trust.

Command these things and teach them.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because of your youth; on the contrary, set the believers an example in your speech, behavior, love, trust and purity.

Until I come, pay attention to the public reading of the Scriptures.

Do not neglect your gift, which you were given through a prophecy when the body of elders gave you s’mikhah.

Be diligent about this work, throw yourself into it, so that your progress may be clear to everyone.

Pay attention to yourself and to the teaching, continue in it, for by so doing you will deliver both yourself and those who hear you.

Do not rebuke an older man sharply, but appeal to him as you would to a father; treat younger men like brothers,

older women like mothers and younger women like sisters, with absolute purity.

Show respect to widows who are really in need.

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, first let them learn to do their religious duty to their own family and thus repay some of the debt they owe their forebears, for this is what is acceptable in the sight of God.

Now the widow who is really in need, the one who has been left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.

But the one who is self-indulgent is already dead, even though she lives.

And instruct them about this, so that they will not be open to blame.

Moreover, anyone who does not provide for his own people, especially for his family, has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Let a widow be enrolled on the list of widows only if she is more than sixty years old, was faithful to her husband,

and is known for her good deeds — as one who has reared her children well, showed hospitality, washed the feet of God’s people, helped those in trouble, and engaged in all kinds of good work.

But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they begin to feel natural passions that alienate them from the Messiah, they want to get married.

This brings them under condemnation for having set aside the trust they had at first.

Besides that, they learn to be idle, going around from house to house; and not only idle, but gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t.

Therefore, I would rather the young widows get married, have children and take charge of their homes, so as to give the opposition no occasion for slandering us.

For already some have turned astray to follow the Adversary.

If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, she should provide relief for them — the congregation shouldn’t be burdened, so that it may help the widows who are really in need.

The leaders who lead well should be considered worthy of double honor, especially those working hard at communicating the Word and at teaching.