Text -- 1 Timothy 5:16-25 (NET)

5:16 If a believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. The church should not be burdened, so that it may help the widows who are truly in need. 5:17 Elders who provide effective leadership must be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching. 5:18 For the scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker deserves his pay.” 5:19 Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it can be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 5:20 Those guilty of sin must be rebuked before all, as a warning to the rest. 5:21 Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind. 5:22 Do not lay hands on anyone hastily and so identify with the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 5:23 (Stop drinking just water, but use a little wine for your digestion and your frequent illnesses.) 5:24 The sins of some people are obvious, going before them into judgment, but for others, they show up later. 5:25 Similarly good works are also obvious, and the ones that are not cannot remain hidden.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Ti 5:16

¹ tc Most witnesses (D Ψ Ï sy) have πιστὸς ἤ (pisto" h) before πιστή (pisth), with the resultant meaning “if a believing man or woman.” But such looks to be a motivated reading, perhaps to bring some parity to the responsibilities of men and women listed here, and as a way of harmonizing with v. 4. Further, most of the earliest and best witnesses (א A C F G P 048 33 81 1175 1739 1881 co) lack the πιστὸς ἤ, strengthening the preference for the shorter reading.

² tn Grk “has widows.”

³ tn Grk “the real widows,” “those who are really widows.”

NET Notes: 1Ti 5:17

¹ tn Grk “who lead well.”

² tn Or “deserving.”

³ tn Like the similar use of “honor” in v. 3, this phrase
denotes both respect and remuneration: “honor plus honorarium.”

⁴ tn Or “in preaching”; Grk “in word.”

NET Notes: 1Ti 5:18

¹ sn A quotation from Deut 25:4.

² sn A quotation from Luke 10:7.

NET Notes: 1Ti 5:19

¹ sn An allusion to Deut 17:6, 19:15.

NET Notes: 1Ti 5:20

¹ sn As a continuation of v. 19, this refers to elders who sin, not to sinning believers more generally.

² tn Or “censured.” The Greek word implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.

³ tn “Before all” probably refers to the whole congregation, not just all the elders; “the rest” is more likely to denote the remaining elders.

⁴ tn Grk “that the rest may have fear.”

NET Notes: 1Ti 5:21

¹ tn Grk “doing nothing according to partiality.”

NET Notes: 1Ti 5:22

¹ tn In context “laying hands on anyone” refers to ordination or official installation of someone as an elder.

² tn Grk “and do not share in the sins of others.”

NET Notes: 1Ti 5:23

¹ tn Grk “for the sake of your stomach.”

² sn This verse gives parenthetical advice to Timothy, to clarify what it means to keep pure (5:22c). Verse 24 resumes the instructions about elders.

NET Notes: 1Ti 5:24

¹ tn Grk “they [the sins] follow after others.”