1 Timothy 5:3-16·~1 min

Honoring True Widows

Paul says the church is to honor widows who are truly widows, but if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first repay their own family care, which pleases God. A true widow is alone and hopeful in God, unlike one who lives for pleasure, and Paul says anyone who refuses to provide for family has denied the faith.

H³onor the widows who are truly widows. ⁴But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. ⁵The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers. ⁶But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive. ⁷Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach. ⁸If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Paul says a widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty, faithful in marriage, and known for good works such as child-rearing, hospitality, service to the saints, relief for the afflicted, and devotion to every good work.

⁹A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, faithful to her husband, ¹⁰and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work.

Paul says younger widows should not be enrolled, since passions, idleness, gossip, and divided loyalties can follow, and some have already wandered astray. Instead, he advises them to marry, bear children, and manage their households, and he ends by saying believing women should care for dependent widows so the church can help those truly in need.

¹¹But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry, ¹²and thus will incur judgment because they are setting aside their first faith. ¹³At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention. ¹⁴So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander. ¹⁵For some have already turned aside to follow Satan. ¹⁶If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need.

Section summaryPaul distinguishes between widows who are truly alone and those whose families ought to care for them, insisting that family responsibility comes first and that the church's help be directed where the need is real. He describes the prayerful dependence and proven character that mark a widow worthy of enrollment, warns against enrolling younger widows, and ends by saying that believing families should relieve the church where they can so that true need is not neglected.

Role in the chapterThis large middle section shows care in the church governed by both compassion and discernment. It protects the vulnerable without dissolving family responsibility or burdening the church carelessly.