1 Timothy 5:19
Against a priest receive not an accusation, but under two or three witnesses.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Adversus presbyterum accusationem noli recipere, nisi sub duobus aut tribus testibus.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων·
Haydock's commentary
Against a priest. The word presbyter9 is commonly here expounded of bishops and priests; though St. Chrysostom understands it of men advanced in age.
Receive not an accusation; i.e. do not sit as judge, nor hearken to such information. (Witham)
9 Adversus presbyterum, kata presbuterou. And St. Chrysostom, (p. 313.) ten elikian.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Cyprian Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, Testimony LXXVI
In the first to Timothy: “Against an elder receive not an accusation.”
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, 1 Timothy 5:11-15
Ver. 19 . “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.” 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.
Theodoret The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret, The artful Machinations of Eusebius and his followers against the Holy Eustathius, Bishop of Antioch
Eusebius , as I have already stated, seized the diocese of Constantinople by force. And thus having acquired great power in that city, frequently visiting and holding familiar intercourse with the emperor, he gained confidence and formed plots against those who were foremost in the support of the truth. He at first feigned a desire of going to Jerusalem, to see the celebrated edifices there erected: and the emperor, who was deceived by his flattery, allowed him to set out with the utmost honour, providing him with carriages, and the rest of his equipage and retinue. Theognis, bishop of Nicæa, who, as we have before said, was his accomplice in his evil designs, travelled with him. When they arrived at Antioch, they put on the mask of friendship, and were received with the utmost deference. Eustathius, the great champion of the faith, treated them with fraternal kindness. …
St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Marcella
3. But “when I set the wheel rolling I began to form a wine flagon; how comes it that a waterpot is the result?” Lest Horace laugh at me I come back to my two-legged asses, and din into their ears, not the music of the lute, but the blare of the trumpet. They may say if they will, “rejoicing in hope; serving the time ,” but we will say “rejoicing in hope; serving the Lord .” They may see fit to receive an accusation against a presbyter unconditionally; but we will say in the words of Scripture, “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses . Them that sin rebuke before all.” They may choose to read, “It is a man’s saying, and worthy of all acceptation;” we are content to err with the Greeks, that is to say with the apostle himself, who spoke Greek. …