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16 If a woman who is a follower has any widows in her family, she[a] should help them. This will keep the church from having that burden, and then the church can help widows who are really in need.

Church Leaders

17 Church leaders[b] who do their job well deserve to be paid[c] twice as much, especially if they work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 (A) It is just as the Scriptures say, “Don't muzzle an ox when you are using it to grind grain.” You also know the saying, “Workers are worth their pay.”

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Footnotes

  1. 5.16 woman … she: Some manuscripts have “man or woman … that person.”
  2. 5.17 church leaders: Or “elders” or “presbyters.”
  3. 5.17 paid: Or “honored” or “respected.”

16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.(A)

17 The elders(B) who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor,(C) especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”[a](D) and “The worker deserves his wages.”[b](E)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 5:18 Deut. 25:4
  2. 1 Timothy 5:18 Luke 10:7