Chapter IV.—Exhortations.

Let not widows be neglected. Be thou, after the Lord, their protector22    The word in the original (φροντιστής) denotes one who thinks or cares for another. and friend. Let nothing be done without thy consent; neither do thou anything without the approval of God, which indeed thou dost not, inasmuch as thou art stedfast. Let your assembling together be of frequent23    Some refer the words to more frequent meetings, and others to these meetings being more numerous; no comparison is necessarily implied. occurrence: seek after all by name.24    i.e., so as to bring them out to the public assembly. Do not despise either male or female slaves, yet neither let them be puffed up with conceit, but rather let them submit themselves25    Or, “act the part of slaves.” the more, for the glory of God, that they may obtain from God a better liberty. Let them not long to be set free [from slavery] at the public expense, that they be not found slaves to their own desires.

Let not the widows be neglected. Be thou, after the Lord, their protector and friend. Let nothing be done without thy consent; neither do thou anything without the approval of God, which indeed thou doest not. Be thou stedfast. Let your assembling together be of frequent26    Some refer the words to more frequent meetings, and others to these meetings being more numerous; no comparison is necessarily implied. occurrence: seek after all by name.27    i.e., so as to bring them out to the public assembly. Do not despise either male or female slaves, yet neither let them be puffed up with conceit, but rather let them submit themselves28    Or, “act the part of slaves.” the more, for the glory of God, that they may obtain from God a better liberty. Let them not wish to be set free [from slavery] at the public expense, that they be not found slaves to their own desires.

IV 1. Χῆραι μὴ ἀμελείσθωσαν· μετὰ τὸν κύριον σὺ αὐτῶν φροντιστὴς ἔσο. μηδὲν ἄνευ γνώμης σου γινέσθω μηδὲ σὺ ἄνευ θεοῦ τι πρᾶσσε, ὅπερ οὐδὲ πράσσεις· 2. πυκνότερον συναγωγαὶ γινέσθωσαν· ἐξ ὀνόματος πάντας ζήτει. 3. δούλους καὶ δούλας μὴ ὑπερηφάνει· ἀλλὰ μηδὲ αὐτοὶ φυσιούσθωσαν, ἀλλ’ εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πλέον δουλευέτωσαν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἐλευθερίας ἀπό θεοῦ τύχωσιν. μὴ ἐράτωσαν ἀπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ ἐλευθεροῦσθαι, ἵνα μὴ δοῦλοι εὑρεθῶσιν ἐπιθυμίας.