independentparticipialpurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The congregation as a family 5:1–2
1
Do not sharply rebuke an older man,independent — the governing prohibition — ἐπιπλήσσω, to strike at with words
but exhort himindependent — the counter — appeal, not assault
as a father,comparative — the comparison series opens — the older man as father
younger men as brothers,comparative — second member — peers as brothers (παρακάλει carried over)
2
older women as mothers,comparative — third member — older women as mothers
younger women as sisters, in all purity.comparative — fourth member — with ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ guarding this relation alone
The widows — honor, household duty, the roll, the younger 5:3–16
vv. 3–8 — true widows and the family's first duty
3
Honor widows who are truly widows.independent — the section's heading command — τιμή includes material support (cf. v. 17)
4
But if any widow has children or grandchildren,conditional — the first casuistic protasis — leans on the ruling below
let them first learn to show piety to their own householdindependent — apodosis — the descendants (plural) must learn; piety begins at home
and to make some return to their parents;content — the paired complement infinitive — ἀμοιβαί, repayment to the προγόνοις
for this is acceptable before God.cause — the ground — filial repayment as pleasing worship (cf. 2:3)
5
Now she who is truly a widow, and left all alone, has set her hope on Godindependent — the portrait of the ὄντως χήρα — perfect ἤλπικεν, a settled hope
and continues in supplications and prayers night and day;independent — coordinate — her occupation is prayer (cf. Anna, Luke 2:37)
6
but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.independent — the counter-portrait — the living-dead oxymoron: ζῶσα τέθνηκεν, alive and already a corpse
7
Command these things as well,independent — the charge to Timothy — παράγγελλε, the letter's keyword (1:3; 4:11)
so that they may be above reproach.purpose — the purpose — ἀνεπίλημπτος, the overseer's standard (3:2) extended to the widows' households
8
But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for members of his household,conditional — the negative protasis — leans on the verdict below
he has denied the faithindependent — the verdict — perfect ἤρνηται: the denial already stands
and is worse than an unbeliever.independent — the comparison — even pagans provide for their own
vv. 9–10 — the enrollment rule and its five-protasis test
9
Let a widow be enrolledindependent — the enrollment rule — καταλέγω, entered on the official roll
not less than sixty years old,participial — first qualification — the age threshold
the wife of one husband,phrase modifier — verbless apposition — mirroring μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἀνήρ of the overseer (3:2)
10
well attested for her good works:participial — the attestation participle — carrying the whole test column below
if she has raised children,conditional — the five-protasis column opens — backward tests on the attestation, not forward conditions
if she has shown hospitality,conditional — second test — the open door (cf. 3:2 φιλόξενον)
if she has washed the saints' feet,conditional — third test — the slave's task done for the saints (cf. John 13)
if she has relieved the afflicted,conditional — fourth test — ἐπαρκέω, the section's relief verb (v. 16)
if she has devoted herself to every good work.conditional — the summarizing fifth — παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ gathers up the column
vv. 11–15 — younger widows: off the roll, into marriage
11
But refuse younger widows;independent — the counter-rule — παραιτοῦ, decline them from the roll
for whenever their passions draw them away from Christ,conditional — ground-temporal ὅταν — leans forward on the apodosis; the γάρ grounds the refusal
they desire to marry,cause — the apodosis — the whole ὅταν-sentence is the reason for the refusal
12
incurring condemnationparticipial — attendant circumstance — the desire carries a judgment with it
because they have set aside their first pledge;cause — the reason — ἡ πρώτη πίστις, the pledge taken at enrollment
13
and at the same time they also learn to be idle,cause — second ground — coordinate with vv. 11b–12 beneath the refusal
going around from house to house,participial — the idleness in motion — the circuit of the houses
and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies,cause — the escalation — μανθάνουσιν carried over (elliptical)
saying what they ought not.participial — the gossip specified — speech that should not be spoken
14
Therefore I want younger widows to marry,independent — the apostolic ruling (οὖν) — the desire of v. 11 redirected into marriage
to bear children,content — the infinitive chain — second member (cf. 2:15 τεκνογονία)
to manage their households,content — third member — the widow as οἰκοδεσπότης of her own house
and to give the adversary no occasion for reviling;purpose — formally the fourth infinitive, purpose in force — no ἀφορμή for the accuser
15
for some have already turned aside after Satan.cause — the ground of the ruling — the danger is not hypothetical: ἤδη, already
v. 16 — relieve the church for the truly widowed
16
If any believing woman has widows in her family,conditional — the closing protasis — leans on the directive below
let her relieve them;independent — apodosis — private relief first (ἐπαρκέω as v. 10)
and let the church not be burdened,independent — coordinate command — the church's funds must not be weighed down
so that it may relieve those who are truly widows.purpose — the final purpose — ὄντως χήραις closes the frame opened at v. 3
The elders — and Timothy's own hands, stomach, and discernment 5:17–25
vv. 17–20 — double honor, due process, public rebuke
17
Let the elders who lead well be counted worthy of double honor,independent — the elders' rule — τιμή again including stipend (v. 18 shows it)
especially those who labor in word and teaching.phrase modifier — the qualifier — verbless apposition: the teaching elders above all
18
For the Scripture says:cause — the warrant formula — carrying both citations below
'You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,'content — Deut 25:4 — the threshing ox (as 1 Cor 9:9)
and, 'The laborer is worthy of his wages.'content — the worker-saying (Luke 10:7) — Jesus-tradition quoted as γραφή, level with Torah; verbless maxim
19
Do not receive an accusation against an elder,independent — due process for elders — no charge entertained lightly
except on the basis of two or three witnesses.conditional — the backward exceptive (ἐκτὸς εἰ μή) — Deut 19:15, the two-or-three-witness rule (elliptical)
20
Those who persist in sin reprove before all,independent — the counterweight — present ἁμαρτάνοντας: persistent sinners rebuked publicly
so that the rest may also stand in fear.purpose — the purpose — deterrence: the rest (of the elders) take warning
vv. 21–23 — the oath-charge, and two personal rules
21
I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angelsindependent — the oath-charge — a courtroom of three witnesses invoked (cf. v. 19)
to keep these things without prejudgment,content — ἵνα as the content of the charge, not purpose — no πρόκριμα, no verdict before trial
doing nothing out of partiality.participial — the manner — πρόσκλισις, leaning toward a party
22
Do not lay hands hastily on anyone,independent — no hasty ordination — haste in appointing shares the appointee's sins
nor share in the sins of others;independent — the corollary — complicity through careless hands
keep yourself pure.independent — the positive close — ἁγνός echoing ἁγνεία (v. 2)
23
No longer drink only water,independent — the personal aside — ἁγνόν does not mean ascetic (cf. 4:3–4)
but use a little wineindependent — the counter — modest, medicinal
for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.cause — the grounds (διά + acc) — Timothy's stomach and recurring illnesses
vv. 24–25 — the closing maxim-pair: sins and works, evident or trailing
24
The sins of some people are evident,independent — the maxim-pair opens — why prejudgment (v. 21) and haste (v. 22) fail
going before them to judgment,participial — the image — sins marching ahead to the courtroom
but the sins of others follow after them;independent — the counter — some sins only catch up later; hence patience in judging
25
So also good works are evident,independent — the matching maxim — verbless: εἰσιν carried over from v. 24
and even those that are otherwise cannot remain hidden.independent — the close — hidden worth will surface; time vindicates the examiner
Analysis. 1 Timothy 5 is church order written as casuistry, and the shape shows a chapter ruled by flush-left imperatives with olive εἰ-protases leaning over their verdicts. The opening pair (vv. 1–2) hangs a four-member ὡς-comparison column beneath one imperative παρακάλει — the whole congregation graded into fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters. The widows section (vv. 3–16) is framed by the same verb: Χήρας τίμα at its head, ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκέσῃ at its close, with three full conditional sentences in between (vv. 4, 8, 16) whose protases lean forward, anchorless, over apodoses on the margin. The showpiece is v. 10: five εἰ-protases stacked in a single column, read here not as forward-leaning conditions but as backward tests hanging on μαρτυρουμένη — the enrollment examiner's checklist — so each carries its anchor. In v. 11 the ὅταν-clause is set as a forward-leaning temporal protasis (typed with the conditionals) over γαμεῖν θέλουσιν, the whole pair being the γάρ-ground beneath παραιτοῦ; the escalation of v. 13 (οὐ μόνον… ἀλλὰ καί) is treated as elliptical, μανθάνουσιν carried over. In the elders section, v. 18 quotes the worker-saying (Luke 10:7 par.) as γραφή alongside Deut 25:4 — the layout sets both blue lines level under one λέγει; the ἵνα of v. 21 is taken as the content of the oath-charge, not its purpose; and the fourth infinitive of v. 14 (μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν διδόναι) is set as purpose in force though formally coordinate with the γαμεῖν chain. Verse 6 keeps its living-dead paradox on one line: ζῶσα τέθνηκεν.