1 Timothy 5:19
in 1 Timothy 5Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Against an elder receive not an accusation, except at the mouth of two or three witnesses.
KJV
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
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This verse in 1 Timothy 5
Commentary
13 notes on this verseWhen a man is advanced in years, you must not be too ready to believe evil of him. His past life is itself a defense, and so also is his rank as an elder. Still, since we are human and sometimes in spite of the ripeness of our years fall into the sins of youth, if I do wrong and you wish to correct me, accuse me openly of my fault. Do not backbite me secretly.
This site's exposition
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder
on 1 Timothy 5:19-20
An accusation against an elder needs the testimony of two or three witnesses, the rule of Deuteronomy 19:15 that protected any defendant in Israel. Verse 20 balances the protection: those who persist in sin are rebuked in front of everyone.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
It is the duty of the presbyter to function as the common father of both the men and women of the congregation; because the care of both sexes involves seeing and speaking discreetly with the women, pastoral work must be done with great reverence. Furthermore, …
May we then receive an accusation against a younger man, or against any one at all without witnesses? Ought we not in all cases to come to our judgments with the greatest exactness? What then does he mean? Do not so, he means, with any, but especially in the case of an elder. For he speaks of an elder not with respect to office, but to age, since the young more easily fall into sin than their elders. And it is manifest from hence that the Church, and even the whole people of Asia, had been now intrusted to Timothy, which is the reason why he discourses with him concerning elders. And because many judgments are formed upon suspicion, there ought, he says, to be witnesses, and men to convict the offender according to the ancient law. "At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established. Against an elder receive not an accusation." He does not say, "do not condemn," but "receive not an accusation," bring him not to judgment at all. But what if the two witnesses are false? This rarely happens, and it may be discovered upon examination on the trial. For since offenses are committed in secret, we ought to be satisfied with two witnesses, and this is sufficient proof of investigation. But what if the offenses be notorious, and yet there are no witnesses, only a strong suspicion? It has been said above that he ought "to have a good report of them which are without."
A commentator
CyprianTreatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews · Written before 258.
proposed
That an elder must not be rashly accused. In the first to Timothy: "Against an eider receive not all accusation."
Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. Rebuke those who sin in the presence of all, so that the rest also may be fearful. Do not receive an accusation against an elder. What then? Should …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, do not receive an accusation, he treats of the correction of prelates, saying that priests who have ruled well are worthy of a double honor; but those who are wicked must be corrected. In regard to this he does three things: …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Do we really accept an accusation against a young person but not against someone else? On the contrary, the apostle speaks as if to say: against no one, and especially not against an elder. He did not say: do not accuse, but: do not even …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Against an elder receive not an accusation,.... A charge of any crime: but before two or three witnesses; good sufficient ones, who are capable of well attesting the fact: a charge against a pastor of a church is not to be easily received; it should not be listened to privately, unless it clearly appears by such a number of witnesses; nor should it be brought publicly before the church, until it is privately and previously proved, by a sufficient number of credible witnesses, that it is really fact.
Further, He is not to be proceeded against by way of enquiry; this is according to the modern practice of the inquisition, which draws up articles for men to purge themselves of such crimes, or else to accuse themselves; but, according to the advice of Paul, there must be an accusation brought against an elder.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Against an elder - The word “elder” here seems to be used in the sense in which it is in the previous verse as relating to “office,” and not in the sense of an aged man, as in 1Ti 5:1. The connection demands this interpretation. Receive not an accusation - He was not to regard such a charge as well founded unless sustained by two or three witnesses.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But Timothy's entertaining an accusation against anyone is a different case, where the object was not judicially to punish, but to admonish: here he might ordinarily entertain it without the need of two or three witnesses; but not in the case of an elder, since the more earnest an elder was to convince gainsayers (Tit 1:9), the more exposed would he be to vexatious and false accusations.
Against an elder - Be very cautious of receiving evil reports against those whose business it is to preach to others, and correct their vices. Do not consider an elder as guilty of any alleged crime, unless it be proved by two or three witnesses. This the law of Moses required in respect to all. Among the Romans, a plebeian might be condemned on the deposition of one credible witness; but it required two to convict a senator. The reason of this difference is evident: those whose business it is to correct others will usually have many enemies; great caution, therefore, should be used in admitting accusations against such persons.
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| κατὰ | kata | Against | G2596 → | 468 times |
| πρεσβυτέρου | presbuterou | an elder | G4245 → | 65 times |
| κατηγορίαν | kategorian | an accusation | G2724 → | |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| παραδέχου | paradechou | do receive | G3858 → | |
| ἐκτὸς | ektos | unless | G1622 → | |
| εἰ | ei | only | G1487 → | 508 times |
| μὴ | me | except | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| δύο | duo | two | G1417 → | |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| τριῶν | trion | three | G5140 → | |
| μαρτύρων. | marturon | witnesses. | G3144 → |
κατὰAgainst
kataG2596 →468 times
πρεσβυτέρουan elder
presbuterouG4245 →65 times
κατηγορίανan accusation
kategorianG2724 →
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
παραδέχουdo receive
paradechouG3858 →
ἐκτὸςunless
ektosG1622 →
εἰonly
eiG1487 →508 times
μὴexcept
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
δύοtwo
duoG1417 →
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
τριῶνthree
trionG5140 →
μαρτύρων.witnesses.
marturonG3144 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 18:16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 19:15
A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 13:1
This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 8:17
Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
- Deuteronomy 19:15
Through
2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
it leads to
- Matthew 18:16
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 17:6
On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 8:17–18
Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 18:16
Through
Deuteronomy 19:15A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or…
it leads to
- Numbers 35:30
If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a…
Reached by 4 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 10:28
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 35:30
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Timothy
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cyprian, Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, LETTERS 125.19; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Timothy 15; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY; Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Timothy and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Timothy.