1 Timothy 5:3–16

³Honor widows ^dwho are truly widows. ⁴But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn ^eto show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for ^fthis is pleasing in the sight of God. ⁵She ^gwho is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and ^hcontinues in supplications and prayers night and day, ⁶but ⁱshe who is self-indulgent is ^jdead even while she lives. ^7kCommand these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. ⁸But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for ^lmembers of his household, he has ^mdenied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been ⁿthe wife of one husband,^{1 10}and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has ⁿshown hospitality, ^ohas washed the feet of the saints, has ^pcared for the afflicted, and has ^qdevoted herself to every good work. ¹¹But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when ^rtheir passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry ¹²and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. ¹³Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also ^sgossips and ^tbusybodies, saying what they should not. ¹⁴So I would have ^uyounger widows marry, bear children, ^vmanage their households, and ^wgive the adversary no occasion for slander. ^15xFor some have already strayed after Satan. ¹⁶If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those ^ywho are truly widows.