They are ambitious to be teachers of the Law, although they do not understand either their own words or what the things are about which they make such confident assertions.

and remembers that a law is not enacted to control a righteous man, but for the lawless and rebellious, the irreligious and sinful, the godless and profane--for those who strike their fathers or their mothers, for murderers,

and is not in accordance with the Good News of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

though I was previously a blasphemer and a persecutor and had been insolent in outrage. Yet mercy was shown me, because I had acted ignorantly, not having as yet believed;

Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

and of which I have been appointed a herald and an Apostle (I am speaking the truth: it is not a fiction)

and I would have the women dress becomingly, with modesty and self-control, not with plaited hair or gold or pearls or costly clothes,

I do not permit a woman to teach, nor have authority over a man, but she must remain silent.

and Adam was not deceived, but his wife was thoroughly deceived, and so became involved in transgression.

not a hard drinker nor given to blows; not selfish or quarrelsome or covetous;

(If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he have the Church of God given into his care?)

He ought not to be a new convert, for fear he should be blinded with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil.

Deacons, in the same way, must be men of serious demeanour, not double-tongued, nor addicted to much wine, nor greedy of base gain,

Deaconesses, in the same way, must be sober-minded women, not slanderers, but in every way temperate and trustworthy.

Train yourself in godliness. Exercise for the body is not useless, but godliness is useful in every respect, possessing, as it does, the promise of Life now and of the Life which is soon coming.

Do not be careless about the gifts with which you are endowed, which were conferred on you through a divine revelation when the hands of the elders were placed upon you.

Honour widows who are really in need.

A widow who is really in need, friendless and desolate, has her hopes fixed on God, and continues at her supplications and prayers, night and day;

But the younger widows you must not enrol; for as soon as they begin to chafe against the yoke of Christ, they want to marry,

And at the same time they also learn to be idle as they go round from house to house; and they are not only idle, but are gossips also and busybodies, speaking of things that ought not to be spoken of.

If a believing woman has widows dependent on her, she should relieve their wants, and save the Church from being burdened--so that the Church may relieve the widows who are really in need.

For the Scripture says, "You are not to muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain;" and the workman deserves his pay.

Do not ordain any one hastily; and do not be a partaker in the sins of others; keep *yourself* pure.

So also the right actions of some are evident to the world, and those that are not cannot remain for ever out of sight.

Let all who are under the yoke of slavery hold their own masters to be deserving of honour, so that the name of God and the Christian teaching may not be spoken against.

And those who have believing masters should not be wanting in respect towards them because they are their brethren, but should serve them all the more willingly because those who profit by the faithful service rendered are believers and are friends.

Impress on those who are rich in the present age that they must not be haughty nor set their hopes on riches--that unstable foundation--but on God who provides us richly with all things for our enjoyment.