Lectionary Calendar
Friday, January 10th, 2025
Friday after Epiphany
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

King James Version

1 Timothy 5:3

Honour widows that are widows indeed.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Commandments;   Minister, Christian;   Widow;   Women;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Widows;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Widow;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Mission;   Widow;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Abortion;   Deacon, Deaconess;   Honor;   Wealth;   Widow;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Marriage;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Widows;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Widow;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Friend, Friendship;   Poor, Orphan, Widow;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Timothy, Epistles to;   Widow;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Timothy and Titus Epistles to;   Widows;   Woman;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Deaconess;   Widow;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Widow;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
Honor widows who are truly widows.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Honour widowes, which are widowes in deede.
Christian Standard Bible®
Support widows who are genuinely in need.
Hebrew Names Version
Honor widows who are widows indeed.
Darby Translation
Honour widows who are really widows;
Easy-to-Read Version
Take care of widows who really need help.
Amplified Bible
Honor and help those widows who are truly widowed [alone, and without support].
American Standard Version
Honor widows that are widows indeed.
Berean Standard Bible
Honor the widows who are truly widows.
Contemporary English Version
Take care of any widow who is really in need.
Complete Jewish Bible
Show respect to widows who are really in need.
International Standard Version
Honor widows who are really widows.[fn]1 Timothy 5:5,16;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
The widows honour them who are widows in truth.
Murdock Translation
Honor widows, who are truly widows.
King James Version (1611)
Honour widowes that are widowes indeed.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Honour wydowes, whiche are wydowes in deede.
English Revised Version
Honour widows that are widows indeed.
Lexham English Bible
Honor widows who are truly widows.
Literal Translation
Honor widows, the ones being true widows.
New American Standard Bible
Honor widows who are actually widows;
New Century Version
Take care of widows who are truly widows.
New English Translation
Honor widows who are truly in need.
New King James Version
Honor widows who are really widows.
New Living Translation
Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her.
New Revised Standard
Honor widows who are really widows.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Widows, honour thou - who indeed are widows: -
Douay-Rheims Bible
Honour widows that are widows indeed.
George Lamsa Translation
Honor widows who are widows indeed.
Good News Translation
Show respect for widows who really are all alone.
World English Bible
Honor widows who are widows indeed.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or grand children, let these learn first to shew piety at home,
Weymouth's New Testament
Honour widows who are really in need.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Honoure thou widewis, that ben very widewis.
Webster's Bible Translation
Honor widows that are widows indeed.
Revised Standard Version
Honor widows who are real widows.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Honoure widdowes which are true wyddowes.
Update Bible Version
Honor widows that are widows indeed.
Young's Literal Translation
honour widows who are really widows;
Bible in Basic English
Give honour to widows who are truly widows.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Honor wedowes, which are true wedowes.
Mace New Testament (1729)
show regard to widows that are really such.
THE MESSAGE
Take care of widows who are destitute. If a widow has family members to take care of her, let them learn that religion begins at their own doorstep and that they should pay back with gratitude some of what they have received. This pleases God immensely. You can tell a legitimate widow by the way she has put all her hope in God, praying to him constantly for the needs of others as well as her own. But a widow who exploits people's emotions and pocketbooks—well, there's nothing to her. Tell these things to the people so that they will do the right thing in their extended family. Anyone who neglects to care for family members in need repudiates the faith. That's worse than refusing to believe in the first place.
New Life Bible
Help women whose husbands have died.
Simplified Cowboy Version
If a widow needs a hand, be the first to offer it.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Honor widows who are widows indeed;
Legacy Standard Bible
Honor widows who are widows indeed,

Contextual Overview

3 Honour widows that are widows indeed. 4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. 5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. 6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. 8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man. 10 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. 11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; 12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Honour: 1 Timothy 5:2, 1 Timothy 5:17, Exodus 20:12, Matthew 15:6, 1 Thessalonians 2:6, 1 Peter 2:17, 1 Peter 3:7

widows: 1 Timothy 5:9, Deuteronomy 10:18, Deuteronomy 14:29, Deuteronomy 16:11, Deuteronomy 16:14, Deuteronomy 27:19, Job 29:13, Job 31:16, Psalms 68:5, Psalms 94:6, Psalms 146:9, Jeremiah 49:11, Matthew 23:14, Luke 7:12, Acts 6:1, Acts 9:39, James 1:27

indeed: 1 Timothy 5:4, 1 Timothy 5:5, 1 Timothy 5:9-11, 1 Timothy 5:16, Luke 2:37, John 1:47

Reciprocal: John 8:31 - my disciples Acts 28:10 - honoured

Cross-References

Genesis 4:25
And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
Genesis 5:2
Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
Genesis 5:3
And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:
Genesis 5:14
And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.
Genesis 5:16
And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:
Job 14:4
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Job 25:4
How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
Psalms 51:5
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Luke 1:35
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Honour widows that are widows indeed. Who those are, see in 1 Timothy 1:5. The honour to be given them is not a putting of them into the office of a deaconess, in the church; which office, some think, is referred to in Acts 6:1, and did obtain in some of the primitive churches; and it might be that some of these widows, the apostle here and hereafter speaks of, might be preferred to the rest, and be set over them, and have the care of such, who were more infirm; but then this could only be the case of some, whereas the honour here spoken of is what is to be given to all that are really widows; and therefore rather regards some external honour and respect to be shown them, by words and actions; and especially it designs an honourable provision for them, and maintenance of them; in which sense the word is used in 1 Timothy 5:17. So, with the Jews, giving gifts to persons, and making presents to them, is called honour. When Manoah asked the angel's name, that he might do him honour, when his saying came to pass, Judges 13:17 the sense, according to them, is q,

"that I may inquire in what place I may find thee, when thy prophecy is fulfilled, and give thee דורון, "a gift"; for there is no honour but what signifies a gift, as it is said, Numbers 22:17, "honouring I will honour thee".''

So giving gifts to the poor, or providing for their maintenance, is doing them honour; and that this is the sense here, appears by what follows in the context.

q Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 10. fol. 199. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Honour widows - The particular attention and respect which are enjoined here, seem to refer to the class of widows who were supported by the church, and who were entrusted with the performance of certain duties toward the other female members, see 1 Timothy 5:9. It is to be remembered that the contact of the sexes was much more circumscribed in Oriental countries than it is among us; that access to the female members of the church would be much less free than it is now, and that consequently there might have been a special propriety in entrusting the duty of watching over the younger among them to the more aged. This duty would be naturally entrusted to those who had not the care of families. It would also be natural to commit it, if they were qualified, to those who had not the means of support, and who, while they were maintained by the church, might be rendering a valuable service to it. It would seem, therefore, that there was a class of this description, who were entrusted with these duties, and in regard to whose qualifications it was proper that Timothy should be instructed. The change of customs in society has made this class less necessary, and probably the arrangement was never designed to be permanent, but still it may be a question whether such an arrangement would not now be wise and useful in the church. On this subject, see the notes on Romans 16:1.

That are widows indeed - Who are truly widows. We associate with the word “widow,” commonly, not only the idea of the loss of a husband, but many other things that are the usual accompaniments of widowhood - a poor and dependent condition; care and solicitude; sadness and sorrow. This idea is implied in the use of the word employed here - χήρα chēra - which means properly one who is “bereaved,” (from the adjective χήρος chēros, “bereaved”), and which, as Calvin says, conveys the idea of one in distressed circumstances. What Paul regarded as constituting true widowhood, he specifies in 1 Timothy 5:4-5, 1 Timothy 5:9-10. He connects with it the idea that she had no persons dependent on her; that she was desolate, and evinced true trust in God; that she was so aged that she would not marry again; and that by her life she had given evidence of possessing a heart of true benevolence; 1 Timothy 5:10.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Timothy 5:3. Honour widows that are widows indeed. — One meaning of the word τιμαω, to honour, is to support, sustain, c., Matthew 15:4-5; and here it is most obviously to be taken in this sense. Provide for those widows especially which are widows indeed-persons truly destitute, being aged and helpless, and having neither children nor friends to take care of them, and who behave as becometh their destitute state. But see the note on 1 Timothy 5:10.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile