Honor Elders That Rule Well

17 Let the elders z who rule well be considered worthy of a double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, b “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, c “The laborer deserves his wages.” 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except d on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, e rebuke them in the presence of all, f so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels g I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, h doing nothing from partiality. 22 i Do not be hasty in the j laying on of hands, nor k take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 (No longer drink only water, but l use a little wine m for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and n even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

1 Timothy 5:17-25 NA28

1 Timothy 5:17-25

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17 Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν, μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ. 18 λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή• βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις , καί• ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ. 19 κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων . 20 Τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐνώπιον πάντων ἔλεγχε, ἵνα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ φόβον ἔχωσιν. 21 Διαμαρτύρομαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων, ἵνα ταῦτα φυλάξῃς χωρὶς προκρίματος, μηδὲν ποιῶν κατὰ πρόσκλισιν. 22 χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει μηδὲ κοινώνει ἁμαρτίαις ἀλλοτρίαις• σεαυτὸν ἁγνὸν τήρει. 23 Μηκέτι ὑδροπότει, ἀλλʼ οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ διὰ τὸν στόμαχον καὶ τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας. 24 Τινῶν ἀνθρώπων αἱ ἁμαρτίαι πρόδηλοί εἰσιν προάγουσαι εἰς κρίσιν, τισὶν δὲ καὶ ἐπακολουθοῦσιν• 25 ὡσαύτως καὶ τὰ ἔργα τὰ καλὰ πρόδηλα, καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα κρυβῆναι οὐ δύνανται.

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editing

1 Timothy 5:17-25

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Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν,

Let the elders z who rule well be considered worthy of a double honor,

μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ.

especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

generalspecific

λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή• βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις ,

For the Scripture says, b “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,”

καί• ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ.

and, c “The laborer deserves his wages.”

series

ground

κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου,

Do not admit a charge against an elder

ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων .

except d on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

conditional

Τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐνώπιον πάντων ἔλεγχε,

As for those who persist in sin, e rebuke them in the presence of all,

ἵνα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ φόβον ἔχωσιν.

f so that the rest may stand in fear.

actionpurpose

progression

Διαμαρτύρομαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων, ἵνα ταῦτα φυλάξῃς

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels g I charge you to keep these rules

χωρὶς προκρίματος,

without prejudging,

μηδὲν ποιῶν κατὰ πρόσκλισιν.

h doing nothing from partiality.

actionmanner

χεῖρας ταχέως μηδενὶ ἐπιτίθει

i Do not be hasty in the j laying on of hands,

μηδὲ κοινώνει ἁμαρτίαις ἀλλοτρίαις•

nor k take part in the sins of others;

σεαυτὸν ἁγνὸν τήρει.

keep yourself pure.

Μηκέτι ὑδροπότει,

(No longer drink only water,

ἀλλʼ οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ διὰ τὸν στόμαχον καὶ τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας.

but l use a little wine m for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)

negativepositive

concessive

Τινῶν ἀνθρώπων αἱ ἁμαρτίαι πρόδηλοί εἰσιν

The sins of some people are conspicuous,

προάγουσαι εἰς κρίσιν,

going before them to judgment,

τισὶν δὲ καὶ ἐπακολουθοῦσιν•

but the sins of others appear later.

alternative

ὡσαύτως καὶ τὰ ἔργα τὰ καλὰ πρόδηλα,

So also good works are conspicuous,

καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα κρυβῆναι οὐ δύνανται.

and n even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

comparison

ideaexplanation

inference

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discourse

notes

Commentary

The focus of Paul’s instruction is now switched to elders rather than widows, but the same theme of honoring is continued. Just as in the last section, to honor someone is to financially support them, as 5:18 supports. So, those who rule well should be provided for by the church, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. However, charges will be aimed at elders, many times maliciously. Because the elders should meet the qualifications in 3:1-7, and because the elders should not be set apart hastily (5:22a), charges against an elder should not be admitted too quickly. They must be corroborated by two or three witnesses. This does not in any way mean that elders will not be found guilty of these charges at times. Although this is a grievous reality, 5:24c is true for some who have become elders in the church of God: “the sins of others appear later.” When an elder is confronted with a sin and is not repentant of his sin, he must be rebuked in front of the church. Why such a public rebuke? As an elder, he has put himself forward as an example for the church (4:12). Unfortunately, he is now serving as a negative example, “so that the rest may stand in fear” (5:20b). He was publically commissioned (5:22a), and now is being put out of the church (the result of persisting in sin), which ought also to be in a public way as it is with all other church discipline. The church should know, in order that they would be sobered and warned of the deceitfulness of sin.

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