Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 5:1–2

Several observations about 1 Timothy 5:1-2 are listed below:

1) The familial language is important to situate these instructions within the social context of God's household (1 Tim 3:14–15). 

2) Paul refers to older men, younger men, older women, and younger women, as distinct parts that make up the whole social community.

3) Timothy is to relate carefully to each of these segments of the community of faith. 

4) In the community of faith, Timothy is to relate to each corresponding segment as he would to fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters. This is one big family. 

5) The leading command of these two verses is in verse 1: Do not rebuke. 

6) Paul offers a corrective command to replace the prohibition: encouragement or exhort. 

7) The first segment Paul notes is a singular noun ("older man/a father"). 

8) The bottom three segments are in the plural form ("younger men/brothers," "older women/mothers," "younger women/sisters"). 

9) There are at least 10 interactions at play in these two verses:

Paul --> Timothy 

Timothy --> Older men

Timothy --> Younger men

Timothy --> Older women

Timothy --> Younger women

Younger women --> Timothy

Older women --> Timothy

Younger men --> Timothy

Older men --> Timothy

Timothy --> Paul

10) The implicit verb for the lower three segments/interactions is "encourage." 

12) The groups are organized by male first, then female: older man/younger men, older women/younger women.

13) Within the groups, age takes precedence: older/younger

14) The interactions move from generic categories (men/women) to familial categories (father/brother/mother/sister). 

15) The only interaction with a caveat is Timothy's interaction with younger women: the encouragement should happen "in all purity."