Discovery Box1 Timothy 5:16-21 
Context5:16 If a believing woman 1 has widows in her family, 2 let her help them. The church should not be burdened, so that it may help the widows who are truly in need. 3
5:17 Elders who provide effective leadership 4 must be counted worthy 5 of double honor, 6 especially those who work hard in speaking 7 and teaching. 5:18 For the scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” 8 and, “The worker deserves his pay.” 9 5:19 Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it can be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 10 5:20 Those guilty of sin 11 must be rebuked 12 before all, 13 as a warning to the rest. 14 5:21 Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind. 15
1 tc Most witnesses (D Ψ Ï sy) have πιστὸς ἤ (pisto" h) before πιστή (pisth), with the resultant meaning “if a believing man or woman.” But such looks to be a motivated reading, perhaps to bring some parity to the responsibilities of men and women listed here, and as a way of harmonizing with v. 4. Further, most of the earliest and best witnesses (א A C F G P 048 33 81 1175 1739 1881 co) lack the πιστὸς ἤ, strengthening the preference for the shorter reading.
2 tn Grk “has widows.”
3 tn Grk “the real widows,” “those who are really widows.”
4 tn Grk “who lead well.”
5 tn Or “deserving.”
6 tn Like the similar use of “honor” in v. 3, this phrase
denotes both respect and remuneration: “honor plus honorarium.”
7 tn Or “in preaching”; Grk “in word.”
8 sn A quotation from Deut 25:4.
9 sn A quotation from Luke 10:7.
10 sn An allusion to Deut 17:6, 19:15.
11 sn As a continuation of v. 19, this refers to elders who sin, not to sinning believers more generally.
12 tn Or “censured.” The Greek word implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.
13 tn “Before all” probably refers to the whole congregation, not just all the elders; “the rest” is more likely to denote the remaining elders.
14 tn Grk “that the rest may have fear.”
15 tn Grk “doing nothing according to partiality.”
