提摩太前書 5:9-16

5:9 寡婦記在冊子上，必須年紀到六十歲，從來只作一個丈夫的妻子，
5:10 又有行善的名聲，就如養育兒女，接待遠人，洗聖徒的腳，救濟遭難的人，竭力行各樣善事。
5:11 至於年輕的寡婦，就可以辭她；因為她們的情慾發動，違背基督的時候就想要嫁人。
5:12 她們被定罪，是因廢棄了當初所許的願；
5:13 並且她們又習慣懶惰，挨家閒遊；不但是懶惰，又說長道短，好管閒事，說些不當說的話。
5:14 所以我願意年輕的寡婦嫁人，生養兒女，治理家務，不給敵人辱罵的把柄。
5:15 因為已經有轉去隨從撒但的。
5:16 信主的婦女，若家中有寡婦，自己就當救濟她們，不可累著教會，好使教會能救濟那真無倚靠的寡婦。

⁹ No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, ¹⁰ and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
¹¹ As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. ¹² Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. ¹³ Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. ¹⁴ So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. ¹⁵ Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
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.

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    保羅教導提摩太如何管理「寡婦」的事務，而且交代提摩太真正算為寡婦是要在六十歲以上。對於年輕的寡婦，保羅沒有鼓勵守寡，反倒是鼓勵要再婚，繼續生兒育女，治理家務。

    從保羅的教導可以知道教會是明理的地方，不鼓勵虛假沒有人性的規條。讓人可以透過教會的教導，活出生命真正的意義，就是讓人感受到上帝的恩典，將榮耀歸給上帝！

    教會不是以人的道德的高低為衡量，而是要人真正與上帝和好，享受上帝在基督裡的恩典，並將榮耀歸給上帝為第一要務！正如《韋斯敏斯德小要理問答》的第1問答說到：

問1：人的主要目的是什麼？
  答：人的主要目的就是榮耀上帝，永遠以祂為樂。