He must not be a recent convert, so that he won't become arrogant and fall into the Devil's condemnation.

He must be well thought of by outsiders, so he doesn't fall into disgrace and the trap set for him by the Devil.

Until I arrive, give your full concentration to the public reading of Scripture, to exhorting, and to teaching.

For some widows have already turned away to follow Satan.

The sins of some people are obvious, leading them to judgment. The sins of others follow them there.

Moreover, those who have believing masters should be respectful to them, because they are fellow believers. In fact, they must serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dear to them. These are the things you must teach and exhort.

But you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.