1 Timothy 5:3–16

The Support of Widows

³Support ^dwidows ^ewho are genuinely widows. ⁴But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God. ⁵The real widow, left all alone, has put her hope in God ^fand continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; ⁶however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. ^g7Command this also, so they won’t be blamed. ⁸But if anyone does not provide ^hfor his own, that is his own household, he has denied the faith ⁱand is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹No widow should be placed on the official support list ^junless she is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband, ¹⁰and is well known for good works ^k—that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, ^lwashed the saints’ feet, ^mhelped the afflicted, ⁿand devoted herself to every good work. ^o11But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry ^p12and will therefore receive condemnation ^qbecause they have renounced their original pledge. ¹³At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips ^rand busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say. ¹⁴Therefore, I want younger women to marry, ^shave children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. ^t15For some have already turned away ^uto follow Satan. ¹⁶If any ^vbelieving woman has widows in her family, she should help them, and the church should not be burdened, so that it can help those who are genuinely widows.