Chapter 14

1A widow ought to be appointed at sixty years of age, provided that she has good works, is chosen and pure, and does not desire another husband. Younger widows are not worthy of the office. If you appoint a young widow, she may be unable to remain continent as the older widows do and may desire to marry again. Do not trust her, for she will bring a shameful report, dishonor, and reproach upon the Church, and she will be condemned before God because she has married a second husband and has not kept the command of the Scriptures.

2Therefore, widows ought not to be appointed hastily. First inquire into their lives and test whether they possess the gift of continence. If they cannot remain continent, it is better not to appoint them, for they will not keep what they have promised.

3But suppose there is a young widow who lived with her husband for only a short time, was separated from him by death, and afterward lived alone while observing the duties of widows. A woman who does this is blessed. She is like the widow in Sarepta of Sidon, to whom Elijah, the holy prophet of God, came and who received him. She is also like the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who remained in the house of God day and night, continually ready for prayer and supplication, though her years were many. She lived with her husband for seven years, then entered the temple and remained for fifty-seven years as a virgin, hoping for the coming of Christ, giving thanks to the Lord, and speaking about him to all who were hoping for the coming of Israel’s salvation. A widow who acts in this way finds honor, favor, and praise in this world, and also in the world to come before God in the kingdom of heaven.

4Do not appoint younger widows to the Church’s order of widows, for they cannot remain continent while they are in the vigor of youth, and they will marry a second husband. The youth of such women is given over to Satan. Nevertheless, for the sake of their own salvation, let them take care not to marry a second husband.

5Concerning such women, you must understand that a first marriage is pure before God. Those who marry a second time transgress the law, not because of their union, but because they have proved false toward God the Creator. Those who marry a third time shall not be reckoned with the flock of the Lord Christ. In those who marry a fourth time, their wantonness is displayed still more abundantly, and they will find shame and dishonor. In the first creation, God gave one woman to one man, and for this reason the two are one flesh.

6Nevertheless, we command younger women that, if their first husbands die, they should marry a second husband if they cannot remain continent. Otherwise, they may again fall into the snare and schemes of Satan and into evil desires that destroy souls, and may themselves descend into the eternal condemnation of Gehenna, where there is no rest.

7But widows known for righteousness—women who have married one man, concerning whom many testify that they have lived in purity, and who bring up their children blamelessly—should be reckoned among the faithful widows. You ought to help such women and give them what they need, for their trust is in God.

8Now also stretch out your hand to give. Remember the poor, give to each according to need, and visit widows, orphans, and the afflicted. The bishop ought to help, save, and supply the needs of all who are destitute and troubled. He should help them and feed in his good pasture all the people who bring their offering of alms.

9From what has been brought to you, give to each person what has been given to you, as is fitting for a good and merciful steward, for this is pleasing before God. Everyone who gives to the destitute will find a good reward, and you, who have labored for God, will receive recompense. Say to those to whom you give, “Such a person offered this, and I have given it to you so that you may pray for him and make supplication on his behalf.”

10You ought to do good to everyone and not say, “I will give to this person, but I will refuse the other.” Make no distinction between anyone. For our Lord says, “Give to everyone who asks of you”—whether friend or enemy, relative or stranger, married or unmarried, widow or orphan. Do good to everyone who is destitute.

11Our Lord has commanded through Solomon: “He who closes his ear lest he hear the cry of the poor, and he who covers his eye lest he see the oppressed, [text damaged]; to him the Lord shall be deaf.” If anyone speaks to them with idle and vain words, let them not answer him. Instead, let them receive those who seek words of faith, deeds of [text damaged], and good hope before God.

12Let widows who desire to learn what is appointed go to those in authority, so that they may learn and hear the word of admonition. They must not listen to slander or follow other gods, but must worship the one God who created all things. The Lord compared the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed, which is smaller than all seeds, yet when someone tastes it, it burns him. In the same way, the word of the teaching of the faith burns Satan.

13We ought not to transgress the words of the prophets or reveal the mysteries to unbelievers, but we ought to remain firm in faith. Our Lord commanded us, saying, “Do not cast your pearls before swine or give your holy things to dogs, lest they trample your pearls underfoot and then turn and tear you apart.” When the ungodly learn the word of the mysteries, they despise it, and in their folly it becomes a cause of dishonor and shame.

14Instead, teach them the words of the Law and of the prophets who prophesied about the coming of Christ. Our Master Jesus Christ sent us, the Twelve, to teach all nations, but he did not command women to teach or to speak to the people in the Church. Rather, let women receive admonition, keep themselves from acts of fornication, and be obedient in fasting, prayer, and hearing the words of Scripture.

15Mary Magdalene remained with us, as did Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and Salome, together with other women. Yet he did not command them to teach alongside us, and neither is it right for other women to teach. The man is the head of the woman, and it is not right for the member to be greater than the head.

16Widows and virgins ought not to wander through the streets or enter men’s houses. Those who act in this way are not widows or virgins, but instead become a stumbling block to men. If they do not remain attached to the Church, they become idle, insatiable, and covetous of the possessions of others. They take men captive, become seducers of others, and cause souls to fall. Those who follow them are far from the Lord.

17Some enter the Church but do not understand what is in the Scriptures and do not listen to the word of the book of admonition. Concerning those who act in this way, the prophet Isaiah says, “Hearing they shall hear and shall not understand; seeing they shall see and shall not perceive, for the heart of this people is darkened.” Do not show the sacrifice of Christ to widows such as these.

18But let the woman who desires to please Christ live quietly in her house and glorify him by day and by night with lips that do not fall silent. Let her pray to God with a pure heart, like wise Judith, who prayed to God for Israel day and night. In the same way, the merciful widow will pray to God and will not cease to attend church every day. All her thoughts are continually ready for his service, and she does not turn toward pleasure. Her eyes are pure, her ears are holy, her hands do not reach out in covetousness, her feet run in the way of peace, her mouth speaks no lies, and she eats in moderation. The Lord will hear the prayer and supplication of a woman whose works are like these, for it is said, “When [text damaged].”

19A widow should be appointed who does not love money, who has neither vanity nor avarice, and who is not a lover of gain, but is chosen and prudent. She should remain at home, giving praise, singing, reading the Scriptures, observing the hours by day and by night, fasting and praying to God at all times, giving to the poor from the labor of her hands, and seeking no gain.

20Let her remember the widow who offered two mites in the Lord’s sanctuary, concerning whom Jesus Christ testified in the Gospel: “Truly I say to you that this widow has offered more than all those who gave to the treasury. All the others gave out of their abundance, but out of her poverty she gave all that she had, even all her living.”

21Widows ought to be pure and to live in subjection with fear and trembling, especially to the bishop, the presbyters, the deacons, and the deaconesses. Let them do nothing without the counsel of the deacons, and let them not pursue delicacies or wantonness. If they are found acting in this way, let the deacon admonish them and command them to fast.

22Likewise, priests must not receive gifts from robbers, moneychangers, or adulterers. Receive nothing from people who act in this way, and do not present it as an offering to the Lord your God.

23Widows ought to be ready to listen to the words of their elders, to do everything they command, to observe the bishop’s word, and to honor him as God. But if anyone receives alms from evildoers and the ungodly, that person will fall into their error and die in their iniquity. If he prays for them, he grieves Christ. Instead, let him turn them to repentance. Those who do not turn evildoers, liars, and sinners from their ways become partners in the evil of their deeds.