1 Timothy 5

Paul gives Timothy instruction on relating to the church family — treating older men as fathers, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters “in all purity.” He gives detailed guidance about honoring and caring for widows who are truly in need, while expecting families to care for their own and younger widows to remarry. Elders who lead well, especially those who preach and teach, are “worthy of double honor,” and charges against them require multiple witnesses. He counsels Timothy about his health and about the importance of discernment, since some sins are evident and others hidden.