1 Timothy 5:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

NIV: older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

NASB: to the older women as mothers, and to the younger women as sisters, in all purity.

CSB: older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters with all purity.

NLT: Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.

KJV: The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

NKJV: older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

Verse 2 switches from older and younger men to Timothy's treatment of older and younger women. He is to treat "older women as mothers." As was the case in verse 1 with fathers, this is no trivial command. Mothers were worthy of honor (Exodus 20:12). Timothy's own Jewish mother had raised him to know Scripture (2 Timothy 1:5).

As with verse 1, the specific context of this command is Timothy's role as a teacher and church leader. Paul is not telling Timothy (or us) to treat every woman in the church identically to our actual sisters or mothers. Rather, this is the attitude which Timothy is to use when he interacts with these women as their spiritual leader.

Younger women are to be treated "as sisters, in all purity." Paul has already mentioned purity as part of Timothy's example as a young leader in 1 Timothy 4:12. He is to view young women as sisters in his family. This strongly discourages viewing them with lust or sexual impurity. Paul would elsewhere call Phoebe his "sister" (Romans 16:1) though she was only a sister spiritually, and make a similar remark about Apphia (Philemon 1:2). Referring to Christian women as sisters appears to have been a common practice in the early church.

Paul has already spoken about the differing roles of men and women in church leadership (1 Timothy 2:9–15). At the same time, he clearly views women as having equal value and deserving of care and dignity (Galatians 3:28).

First Timothy 5:1–2 is a brief description of how Timothy, as a church leader, ought to interact with the men and women of his congregation. These commands are brief, but they have powerful implications. These commands are in the context of Timothy's role as a spiritual leader and teacher. Timothy is to treat older men and women as fathers and mothers—with respect and support, not harsh rebuke. Younger men and women are to be treated with fairness and equality, rather than arrogance or lustfulness.

First Timothy chapter 5 focuses on Timothy's supervision of those within the church. This includes a respectful attitude towards both men and women, young and old. A large portion of the chapter deals with how to care for widows. The theme of Paul's instruction is prioritizing those who are truly in need, and not enabling those who are merely lazy. Timothy is also instructed on how to screen out baseless accusations against an elder, and how to properly discipline them if they are found in sin. With that in mind, Timothy is also warned not to be reckless in who he appoints as an elder.

Prior passages explained the burden placed on Timothy and other church leaders. In this chapter, the emphasis is on how Timothy is to treat others in the congregation. A large portion of this refers to prioritizing charity for widows. This passage will more or less complete Paul's specific instructions to Timothy in this letter. The next (final) chapter will build on all of these themes with a command for Timothy to make the most of his spiritual service.

First Timothy is one of Paul's three ''Pastoral Epistles.'' Paul's other letters, such as Romans, Ephesians, and Colossians, are meant for a broader audience. First Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus are written to specific people whom Paul is advising on how to best lead their local churches. These three letters present a close look at the form and function of church leadership. First Timothy, like 2 Timothy and Titus, is less formal and systematic, and more personal. This gives great insight into the way pastors, deacons, and elders ought to prioritize their time and energy.