⁹Let not a widow be ^||taken into the number under threescore years old, ^rhaving been the wife of one man, ¹⁰^sWell reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have ^tlodged strangers, if she have ^uwashed the saints’ feet, if she have ^vrelieved the afflicted, if she have ^wdiligently followed every ^xgood work. ¹¹But the younger widows ^yrefuse: for when they have begun to ^zwax wanton against Christ, ^athey will marry; ¹²Having damnation, because they have ^bcast off their first faith. ¹³And withal they learn to be idle, ^cwandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but ^dtattlers also and ^ebusybodies, speaking things which they ought not. ¹⁴I will therefore ^fthat the younger women marry, bear children, ^gguide the house, ^hgive none ⁱoccasion to the adversary ^†to speak reproachfully. ¹⁵For some are already ^jturned aside after ^kSatan. ¹⁶If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them ^lrelieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may ^lrelieve ^mthem that are widows indeed.

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Footnotes

||Or, chosen.
r Luke 2:36. So ch. 3:2.
sSee Acts 6:3.
t Acts 16:15. See ch. 3:2.
u Judg. 19:21. Luke 7:38, 44. John 13:5, 14. See Gen. 18:4.
vver. 16.
wSee ch. 6:18.
xSee ch. 2:10.
ySee ch. 4:7.
zSo Rev. 18:3, 7, 9.
aGk. as Tobit 4:5.
bSee Mark 7:9.
cComp. Prov. 7:12.
dSo 3 John 10.
eSee 2 Thess. 3:11.
fSo 1 Cor. 7:9.
gSo Tit. 2:5.
hComp. ch. 6:1.
iSee Rom. 7:8. Comp. Tit. 2:8.
†Gr. for their railing.
jSee ch. 1:6.
kSee 1 Cor. 5:5.
lver. 10.
lver. 10.
mver. 3, 5.

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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.