1 Timothy 5:11

International Standard Version

But do not include younger widows on your list.on your list">[fn] For whenever their natural desires cause them to lose their devotion to Christ, they want to remarry.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But don't put younger widows on that list. When their strong physical needs pull them away from their commitment to Christ, they will want to marry again.

Revised Standard Version
But refuse to enrol younger widows; for when they grow wanton against Christ they desire to marry,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The yonger widdowes refuse. For when they have begone to wexe wantone to the dishonoure of Christ then will they mary

Hebrew Names Version
But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Messiah, they desire to marry;

New American Standard Bible
But refuse to register younger widows, for when they feel physical desires alienating them from Christ, they want to get married,

New Century Version
But do not put younger widows on that list. After they give themselves to Christ, they are pulled away from him by their physical desires, and then they want to marry again.

Update Bible Version
But younger widows refuse: for when they have waxed wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;

Webster's Bible Translation
But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they will marry;

English Standard Version
But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry

World English Bible
But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But the younger widows refuse; for when they are waxed wanton against Christ, they want to marry;

Weymouth's New Testament
But the younger widows you must not enrol; for as soon as they begin to chafe against the yoke of Christ, they want to marry,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But eschewe thou yongere widewis; for whanne thei han do letcherie, thei wolen be weddid in Crist,

English Revised Version
But younger widows refuse: for when they have waxed wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;

Berean Standard Bible
But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,

Contemporary English Version
Don't put young widows on the list. They may later have a strong desire to get married. Then they will turn away from Christ

Amplified Bible
But refuse [to enroll the] younger widows, for when they feel their natural desires in disregard of Christ, they wish to marry again,

American Standard Version
But younger widows refuse: for when they have waxed wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;

Bible in Basic English
But to the younger widows say No: for when their love is turned away from Christ, they have a desire to be married;

Complete Jewish Bible
But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they begin to feel natural passions that alienate them from the Messiah, they want to get married.

Darby Translation
But younger widows decline; for when they grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry,

Etheridge Translation
11 But from the widows who are young, withhold (the election); for these become schismatical [fn] against the Meshiha, and seek to marry,

Murdock Translation
But the younger widows do thou reject; for they wax wanton against the Messiah, and desire to be married:

King James Version (1611)
But the yonger widowes refuse: for when they haue begunne to waxe wanton against Christ, they will marry,

New Living Translation
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.

New Life Bible
Do not write the names of younger women whose husbands have died together with the names of others who need help. They will turn away from Christ because of wanting to get married again.

New Revised Standard
But refuse to put younger widows on the list; for when their sensual desires alienate them from Christ, they want to marry,

Geneva Bible (1587)
But refuse the yonger widowes: for when they haue begun to waxe wanton against Christ, they will marrie,

George Lamsa Translation
But refuse the younger widows: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, younger widows, decline thou; for, as soon as they wax wanton against the Christ, to marry, are they determined, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
But the younger widows avoid. For when they have grown wanton in Christ, they will marry:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But the yonger wydowes refuse: For whe they haue begun to waxe wanton agaynst Christe, they wyll marrie:

Good News Translation
But do not include younger widows in the list; because when their desires make them want to marry, they turn away from Christ,

Christian Standard Bible®
But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry

King James Version
But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

Lexham English Bible
But refuse younger widows, for whenever their physical desires lead them away from Christ, they want to marry,

Literal Translation
But refuse younger widows; for whenever they grow lustful against Christ, they desire to marry,

Young's Literal Translation
and younger widows be refusing, for when they may revel against the Christ, they wish to marry,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But ye yonger wedowes refuse. For whan they haue begonne to waxe wanton agaynst Christ, then wil they mary,

Mace New Testament (1729)
as for young widows, don't admit them: for being impatient of religious restraint, they will be marry'd:

THE MESSAGE
Don't put young widows on this list. No sooner will they get on than they'll want to get off, obsessed with wanting to get a husband rather than serving Christ in this way. By breaking their word, they're liable to go from bad to worse, frittering away their days on empty talk, gossip, and trivialities. No, I'd rather the young widows go ahead and get married in the first place, have children, manage their homes, and not give critics any foothold for finding fault. Some of them have already left and gone after Satan.

New English Translation
But do not accept younger widows on the list, because their passions may lead them away from Christ and they will desire to marry,

New King James Version
But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry,

Simplified Cowboy Version
If a young woman's husband dies, don't automatically offer her help. She'll eventually want to find another husband and her carnal desires will replace her faith.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married,

Legacy Standard Bible
But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married,

Contextual Overview

³ Honor widows who are really widows.[fn]1 Timothy 5:5,16;">[xr] ⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to respect their own family by repaying their parents, for this is pleasing in God's sight.Genesis 45:10-11; Matthew 15:4; Ephesians 6:1-2; 1 Timothy 2:3;">[xr] ⁵ A woman who is really a widow and is left all alone has placed her hope in God and devotes herself to petitions and prayers night and day.Luke 2:37; 18:1; Acts 26:7; 1 Corinthians 7:32;">[xr] ⁶ But the widowthe one">[fn] who lives for pleasure is dead while she lives.James 5:5;">[xr] ⁷ Continue to give these instructions so that they may be blameless.1 Timothy 1:3; 4:11; 6:17;">[xr] ⁸ If anyone does not take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.Isaiah 58:7; Matthew 18:17; Galatians 6:10; 2 Timothy 3:5; Titus 1:16;">[xr] ⁹ A widow may be put on the widows'widows'">[fn] list if she is at least sixty years old and has been the wife of one husband.devoted to her husband; lit. a woman of one man">[fn]Luke 2:36; 1 Timothy 3:2;">[xr] ¹⁰ She must be well known for her good works as a woman who has raised children, welcomed strangers, washed the saints' feet, helped the suffering, and devoted herself to doing good in every way.Genesis 18:4; 19:2; Luke 7:38,44; John 13:5,14; Acts 16:15; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9;">[xr] ¹¹ But do not include younger widows on your list.on your list">[fn] For whenever their natural desires cause them to lose their devotion to Christ, they want to remarry. ¹² They receive condemnation because they have set aside their previous pledge.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the younger: 1 Timothy 5:9, 1 Timothy 5:14

to wax: Deuteronomy 32:15, Isaiah 3:16, Hosea 13:6, James 5:5, 2 Peter 2:18

they will: 1 Timothy 5:14, 1 Timothy 4:3, 1 Corinthians 7:39, 1 Corinthians 7:40

Reciprocal: Matthew 19:10 - General Romans 7:3 - though 1 Corinthians 7:9 - let Titus 2:4 - the

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But the younger widows refuse,.... To admit them into the number of widows relieved by the church; partly because they are fit for labour, and so can take care of themselves; and partly because they may marry, as the apostle afterwards advises they should, and so would have husbands to take care of them:

for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ; that is, being at ease, and without labour, live a wanton, loose, and licentious life, and in carnal lusts and pleasures, contrary to the commands of Christ, and to the reproach and dishonour of his name:

they will marry; not that it would be criminal for them to marry, or that second marriages are unlawful; for the apostle afterwards signifies that it was right, fit, and proper that such should marry; but his sense is, that marriage being the effect of wantonness, would not be so honourable in them, and especially after they had made application to the church for relief, and had declared themselves widows indeed, and desolate, and such as trusted in God, and gave themselves up to supplication and prayer; wherefore it would be much better for them, and more to the credit of religion, to marry first, than afterwards and it would be best not to apply at all to the church; and if they should, it would be most advisable to reject them for the said reasons.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But the younger widows refuse - That is, in respect to the matter under discussion. Do not admit them into the class of widows referred to. It cannot mean that he was to reject them as members of the church, or not to treat them with respect and kindness.

For when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ - There is probably a thought conveyed by these words to most minds which is by no means in the original, and which does injustice both to the apostle and to the “younger widows” referred to. In the Greek there is no idea of wantonness in the sense of lasciviousness or lewdness; nor was this, though now a common idea attached to the word, by any means essential to it when our translation wan made. The word “wanton” then meant “wandering” or “roving in gaiety or sport; moving or flying loosely; playing in the wind; then, wandering from moral rectitude, licentious, dissolute, libidinous” - Webster. The Greek word here used, καταστρηνιάζω katastrēniazō, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The word στρηνιάω strēniaō - however, is used twice, and is in both cases translated “lived deliciously;” Revelation 18:7, Revelation 18:9. The word is derived from στρῆνος strēnos (whence “strenuous”), properly meaning “rudeness, insolence, pride,” and hence, “revel, riot, luxury;” or from - streenees - , the adjective - “strong, stiff, hard, rough.” The verb then means “to live strenuously, rudely,” as in English, “to live hard;” also, to live wild, or without restraint; to run riot, to live luxuriously. The idea of strength is the essential one, and then of strength that is not subordinate to law; that is wild and riotous; see Pussow and Robinson, Lexicon. The sense here is, that they would not be subordinate to the restraints implied in that situation, they would become impatient, and would marry again. The idea is not that of wantonness or lewdness, but it is that of a mind not subdued by age and by trials, and that would be impatient under the necessary restraints of the condition which was contemplated. They could not be depended on with certainty, but they might be expected again to enter into the married relation.

They will marry - It is clear, from this, that the apostle did not contemplate any vows which would prevent their marrying again; nor does he say that it would be absolutely wrong for them to marry, even if they were admitted in to that rank; or as if there were any vows to restrain them from doing it. This passage, therefore, can never be adduced in favor of that practice of taking the veil in nunneries, and of a vow of perpetual seclusion from the world.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 11. But the younger widows refuse — Do not admit those into this office who are under sixty years of age. Probably those who were received into such a list promised to abide in their widowhood. But as young or comparatively young women might have both occasion and temptations to remarry, and so break their engagement to Christ, they should not be admitted. Not that the apostle condemns their remarrying as a crime in itself, but because it was contrary to their engagement. See note on 1 Timothy 5:14.

Wax wanton — καταστρηνιασωσι. From κατα, intensive, and στρηνιαω, to act in a luxurious or wanton manner. The word is supposed to be derived from στερειν, to remove, and ηνια, the rein; and is a metaphor taken from a pampered horse, from whose mouth the rein has been removed, so that there is nothing to check or confine him. The metaphor is plain enough, and the application easy.