7. Give them these instructions, so that no one will find fault with them.
8. But if anyone does not take care of his relatives, especially the members of his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9. Do not add any widow to the list of widows unless she is over sixty years of age. In addition, she must have been married only once
10. and have a reputation for good deeds: a woman who brought up her children well, received strangers in her home, performed humble duties for fellow-Christians, helped people in trouble, and devoted herself to doing good.
11. But do not include younger widows in the list; because when their desires make them want to marry, they turn away from Christ,
12. and so become guilty of breaking their earlier promise to him.
13. They also learn to waste their time in going round from house to house; but even worse, they learn to be gossips and busybodies, talking of things they should not.
14. So I would prefer that the younger widows get married, have children, and take care of their homes, so as to give our enemies no chance of speaking evil of us.
15. For some widows have already turned away to follow Satan.
16. But if any Christian woman has widows in her family, she must take care of them and not put the burden on the church, so that it may take care of the widows who are all alone.
17. The elders who do good work as leaders should be considered worthy of receiving double pay, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
18. For the scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh corn” and “Workers should be given their pay.”
19. Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or more witnesses.