---
title: "1 Timothy 5 - Study King James Bible with barnes notes on the whole bible"
description: "Read 1 Timothy 5 with barnes notes on the whole bible commentary. 1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity"
image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/barnes-notes-on-the-whole-bible/1-timothy/5"
---

[ Read](/kjv/1-timothy/5)[ Commentary](/study/1-timothy/5)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/1-timothy/5) Audio

 1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat *him* as a father; *and* the younger men as brethren;

 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

 3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

 4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

 5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

 6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

 7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

 8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

 9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,

 10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

 11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

 12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

 13 And withal they learn *to be* idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

 14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

 15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.

 16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

 17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer *is* worthy of his reward.

 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

 21 I charge *thee* before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

 22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.

 23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

 24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some *men* they follow after.

 25 Likewise also the good works *of some* are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise can not be hid.
 
[1 Timothy 4](/study/1-timothy/4) [1 Timothy 6](/study/1-timothy/6)

## Commentary

 To verse 1
 
**Rebuke not an elder -**The word “elder” here is not used in the sense in which it often is, to denote an officer of the church, a presbyter, but in its proper and usual sense, to denote an aged man. This is evident, because the apostle immediately mentions in contradistinction from the elder, “the younger men,” where it cannot be supposed that he refers to them as officers. The command to treat the “elder” as a “father,” also shows the same thing. By the direction not to rebuke, it is not to be supposed that the minister of the gospel is not to admonish the aged, or that he is not to show them their sins when they go astray, but that he is to do this as he would to a father. He is not to assume a harsh, dictatorial, and denunciatory manner. The precepts of religion always respect the proprieties of life, and never allow us to transgress them, even when the object is to reclaim a soul from error, and to save one who is wandering. Besides, when this is the aim, it will always be most certainly accomplished by observing the respect due to others on account of office, relation, rank, or age. 

**But entreat him as a father -**As you would a father. That is, do not harshly denounce him. Endeavor to persuade him to lead a more holy life. One of the things for which the ancients were remarkable above most of the moderns, and for which the Orientals are still distinguished, was respect for age. Few things are enjoined with more explicitness and emphasis in the Bible than this; [Leviticus 19:32](/kjv/leviticus/19/32); [Job 29:0](/kjv/job/29/0); [Proverbs 20:20](/kjv/proverbs/20/20); [Proverbs 30:17](/kjv/proverbs/30/17); compare [Daniel 7:9-10](/kjv/daniel/7/9-10); [Revelation 1:14-15](/kjv/revelation/1/14-15). The apostle would have Timothy, and, for the same reason, every other minister of the gospel, a model of this virtue. 

**And the younger men as brethren -**That is, treat them as you would your own brothers. Do not consider them as aliens, strangers, or enemies, but entertain toward them, even when they go astray, the kindly feelings of a brother. This refers more particularly to his private conversation with them, and to his personal efforts to reclaim them when they had fallen into sin. When these efforts were ineffectual, and they sinned openly, he was to “rebuke them before all” [1 Timothy 5:20](/kjv/1-timothy/5/20), that others might be deterred from following their example.

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