The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.

❧The .v. Chapter.

1 He teacheth hym howe he shall behaue hym selfe in rebukyng all degrees, 3 an order concernyng wyddowes, 17 The establyshyng of ministers, 23 the gouer∣naunce of his body, 24 and the iudgement of sinnes.

[unspec A] 1 REbuke not an elder, but exhort him as a fa∣ther, the younger men as brethren,

2 The elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, in all chasti∣tie.

3 Honour wydowes, whiche are wy∣dowes in deede.

4 But yf any wydowe haue chyldren or nephewes, let them learne first to rule their owne houses godly, and to recom∣pence also their elder kynsefolkes: for that is good and acceptable before God.

5 And she that is a wydowe (a)in deede, and left alone, hopeth in God, and con∣tinueth in supplications and prayers nyght and day.

6 But she that liueth in pleasure, is dead beyng alyue.

7 And these thynges commaunde, that [unspec B] they may be blamelesse.

8 But if any prouide not for his owne, and specially for them of his housholde, he hath denyed the fayth, and is worse then an infidell.

9 Let not a wydowe be chosen vnder three score yeres olde, hauyng ben the wyfe of one man.

10 And well reported of in good workes, yf she haue brought vp chyldren, yf she haue lodged straungers, yf she haue wasshed the saintes feete, yf she haue ministred vnto them that were in ad∣uersitie, yf she haue ben continually ge∣uen to euery good worke.

11 But the yonger wydowes refuse: For whē they haue begun to waxe wanton agaynst Christe, they wyll marrie:

[unspec C] 12 Hauyng dampnation, because they haue cast away their first fayth.

13 They learne to wander about from house to house idle: yea not idle only, but also tatlers and busybodies, speakyng thynges which are not comely.

14 I wyll therefore that the yonger wo∣men do marrie, to beare chyldren, to guyde the house, to geue none occasion to y^e aduersarie to speake slaunderously.

15 For certaine of them are alredy turned backe after Satan.

16 Yf any man or woman that beleueth haue wydowes, let them susteine them, & let not the Churches be charged, that there maye be sufficient for them that are wydowes in deede.

17 The elders that rule well are worthy of double honour, most speciallye they which labour in the worde & teachyng.

18 For the scripture sayth: Thou shalt not moosel the oxe that treadeth out the corne: And, the labourer is worthy of his rewarde.

19 Agaynst an elder receaue none accusa∣tion, but vnder two or three witnesses.

20 Them that sinne, rebuke before all, that other also may feare.

21 I testifie before God, and the Lorde [unspec D] Iesus Christe, and the elect angels, that thou obserue these thinges without ha∣stynesse of iudgement, and do nothyng after parcialitie.

22 Lay handes sodenly on no man, nei∣ther be partaker of other mens sinnes. Kepe thy selfe chaste.

23 Drinke no longer water, but vse a li∣tle wine for thy stomackes sake & thine often diseases.

24 Some mens sinnes are open before∣hande, hastyng before vnto iudgement, and in some (b) they folowe after.

25 Lykewise also, good workes are ma∣nifest before hande, and they that are o∣therwyse can not be hyd.

Notes

• Leui. xix. d.
• 〈…〉〈…〉 b.
• (a)

  Whiche hath no ma∣ner of world∣ly meanes to helpe her selfe with.
• Luke. ii f.
• Gene. ix. a. Actes. x. ••. i. Pet. iiii. b.
• i. Cor. vii. b.
• Deu. xxv b
• M••th. x b
• Deut. xix. ••
• Nu. xxvii. d Act. vi. b.
• ii. Tim. i. b. Eccle. 31. d.
• (b)

  Theyr synnes folow, whiche for a tyme haue de∣ceaued y^e god∣ly, and after are detected, as Saul, Iu¦das, & other hypocrites.