1 Timothy 5:16

If any man or woman who believes has widows, let them relieve them, and don’t let the assembly be burdened; that it might relieve those who are widows indeed.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

If any man or woman who believes has widows, let them relieve them, and don’t let the assembly be burdened, that it might relieve those who are widows indeed.

BSB

If 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 .

KJV

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.

ASV

If any woman that believeth hath widows, let her relieve them, and let not the church be burdened; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

BBE

If any woman of the faith has relations who are widows, let her give them help, so that the care of them does not come on the church, and so it may give help to those who are truly widowed.

Original Greek

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εἴ ei If G1487 τις tis any G5100 πιστὸς pistos faithful G4103 ἢ ē or G2228 πιστὴ pistē believing [woman] G4103 ἔχει echei has G2192 χήρας chēras [dependent] widows G5503 ἐπαρκείτω eparkeitō she should help G1884 αὐταῖς autais to them G846 καὶ kai and G2532 μὴ mē not G3361 βαρείσθω bareisthō should be burdened G916 ἡ hē the G3588 ἐκκλησία ekklēsia church G1577 ἵνα ina so that G2443 ταῖς tais to those [who are] G3588 ὄντως ontōs truly G3689 χήραις chērais widows G5503 ἐπαρκέσῃ.¶ eparkesē it may impart relief G1884

The early church

Observe how again he speaks of those as "widows indeed," who are left destitute, and have no resource from any other quarter. It was better to have it so. For thus two great objects were attained. Those had an opportunity of doing good, whilst these were honorably maintained, and the Church not burdened. And he has well said, "If any believer." For it is not fit that believing women should be maintained by unbelievers, lest they should seem to stand in need of them. And observe how persuasively he speaks; he has not said, "let them maintain them expensively," but "let them relieve them." "That the Church," he says, "may relieve them that are widows indeed." She therefore has the reward of this help also, for she that helps the Church, helps not her only, but those widows too whom the Church is thus enabled to maintain more bountifully.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 1 Timothy

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 9–16

Every one brought into any office in the church, should be free from just censure; and many are proper objects of charity, yet ought not to be employed in public services. Those who would find mercy when they are in distress, must show mercy when they are in prosperity; and those who show most readiness for every good work, are most likely to be faithful in whatever is trusted to them. Those who are idle, very seldom are only idle, they make mischief among neighbours, and sow discord among brethren. All believers are required to relieve those belonging to their families who are destitute, that the church may not be prevented from relieving such as are entirely destitute and friendless.

Read Matthew Henry on 1 Timothy 5 →

Cross-references

2

Topics

PoorCommandmentsLiberalityBeneficenceWidow

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.