^5:9No widow should be put on the list¹³ unless¹⁴ she is at least sixty years old, was the wife of one husband,¹⁵^5:10and has a reputation for good works: as one who has raised children,¹⁶ practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, helped those in distress—as one who has exhibited all kinds of good works.¹⁷^5:11But do not accept younger widows on the list,¹⁸ because their passions may lead them away from Christ¹⁹ and they will desire to marry, ^5:12and so incur judgment for breaking their former pledge.²⁰^5:13And besides that, going around²¹ from house to house they learn to be lazy,²² and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not.²³^5:14So I want younger women to marry, raise children, and manage a household, in order to give the adversary no opportunity to vilify us.²⁴^5:15For some have already wandered away to follow Satan.²⁵^5:16If a believing woman²⁶ has widows in her family,²⁷ let her help them. The church should not be burdened, so that it may help the widows who are truly in need.²⁸

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Footnotes

13 This list was an official enrollment, apparently with a formal pledge to continue as a widow and serve the Lord in that way (cf. v. 12). It was either (1) the list of “true widows” who were given support by the church or (2) a smaller group of older women among the supported widows who were qualified for special service (perhaps to orphans, other widows, the sick, etc.). Most commentators understand it to be the former, since a special group is not indicated clearly. See G. W. Knight, Pastoral Epistles, for discussion.
14 Grk “let a widow be enrolled if she has reached not less than sixty years.”
15 Or “a woman married only once,” “was devoted solely to her husband” (see the note on “wife” in ; also 1 Tim 3:12; Titus 1:6).
16 Grk “if she raised children.” The phrase “if she raised children” begins a series of conditional clauses running to the end of the verse. These provide specific examples of her good works (v. 10a).
17 Grk “followed after every good work.”
18 Grk “refuse younger widows.”
19 With a single verb and object, this clause means “pursue sensuous desires in opposition to Christ.”
20 Grk “incurring judgment because they reject their first faith.” The pledge refers most likely to a vow not to remarry undertaken when a widow is put on the list (cf. 1 Tim 5:9).
21 L&N 15.23 suggests the meaning, “to move about from place to place, with significant changes in direction—‘to travel about, to wander about.’ ”
22 Or “idle.” The whole clause (“going around from house to house, they learn to be lazy”) reverses the order of the Greek. The present participle περιερχόμεναι (perierchomenai) may be taken as temporal (“while going around”), instrumental (“by going around”) or result (“with the result that they go around”).
23 Grk “saying the things that are unnecessary.” Or perhaps “talking about things that are none of their business.”
24 Grk “for the sake of reviling.”
25 Grk “wandered away after Satan.”
26 Most witnesses (D Ψ 𝔐 sy) have πιστὸς ἤ (pistos ē) before πιστή (pistē), with the resultant meaning “if a believing man or woman.” But such looks to be a motivated reading, perhaps to bring some parity to the responsibilities of men and women listed here, and as a way of harmonizing with v. 4. Further, most of the earliest and best witnesses (א A C F G P 048 33 81 1175 1739 1881 co) lack the πιστὸς ἤ, strengthening the preference for the shorter reading.
27 Grk “has widows.”
28 Grk “the real widows,” “those who are really widows.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. For some have already strayed after Satan. If 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 who are truly widows.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.

If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

No widow is to be enrolled on the list for support unless she is at least sixty years old, has been the wife of one husband, and is well known for good works—that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to every good work. But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say. Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. For some have already turned away to follow Satan. If any believing woman has widows in her family, let her help them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it can help widows in genuine need.

NLTNew Living Translation

A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband. She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?

The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t. So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.

If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Let a widow be put on the list if she is not less than sixty years old, the wife of one husband, being well-attested by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has helped those who are oppressed, if she has devoted herself to every good work. But refuse younger widows, for whenever their physical desires lead them away from Christ, they want to marry, thus incurring condemnation because they have broken their former pledge. And at the same time also, going around from house to house, they learn to be idle, and not only idle, but also gossipy and busybodies, saying the things that are not necessary. Therefore I want younger widows to marry, to bear children, to manage a household, to give the adversary no opportunity for reproach. For already some have turned away and followed after Satan. If any believing woman has widows, she must help them, and the church must not be burdened, in order that it may help those who are truly widows.

KJV 1900King James Version

Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan. If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

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