1 Timothy 5:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day,

NIV: The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.

NASB: Now she who is actually a widow and has been left alone has set her hope on God, and she continues in requests and prayers night and day.

CSB: The widow who is truly in need and left all alone has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers;

NLT: Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help.

KJV: Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

NKJV: Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.

The previous verse taught that the primary responsibility for a widow's care is her immediate family, including any children or grandchildren. This verse defines those who are "truly widows" (1 Timothy 5:3) as women who are "left all alone." While the term "widow" has always referred to a woman whose husband has died, the implications of such a state, in Paul's era, were very different. At that time, a woman's only source of financial security was her husband and children. A woman in Paul's day who had neither of these was a "true widow." These were women left with no other source of family assistance.

Instead of relying on family, the true widow "has set her hope on God." For such a woman, her life is now devoted to serving in the church, and God is her only source of help. The Christian church, as the household of God (1 Timothy 3:14–15) is intended to help the truly needy in God's family.

According to Paul, a true widow is reliant on daily, ongoing prayer to meet her needs. As later verses in this passage share, the true widow is too old to maintain a profession, to provide for her own needs, or to remarry. The widow who has no family to help her, or an inability to help herself, is a priority when the church seeks to provide comfort.

First Timothy 5:3–16 gives Paul's instructions regarding priority in the care of widows. Since church resources are finite, it is important to focus attention on those who are most needy. In this case, Paul refers to such women as ''true widows.'' Those who are younger or more capable should not be given an excuse for laziness or gossip. And, family members have the first and foremost responsibility for caring for each other. The guidelines given here focus attention on the most vulnerable women and avoid enabling immodest behaviors.

First Timothy chapter 5 focuses on Timothy's supervision of those within the church. This includes a respectful attitude towards both men and women, young and old. A large portion of the chapter deals with how to care for widows. The theme of Paul's instruction is prioritizing those who are truly in need, and not enabling those who are merely lazy. Timothy is also instructed on how to screen out baseless accusations against an elder, and how to properly discipline them if they are found in sin. With that in mind, Timothy is also warned not to be reckless in who he appoints as an elder.

Prior passages explained the burden placed on Timothy and other church leaders. In this chapter, the emphasis is on how Timothy is to treat others in the congregation. A large portion of this refers to prioritizing charity for widows. This passage will more or less complete Paul's specific instructions to Timothy in this letter. The next (final) chapter will build on all of these themes with a command for Timothy to make the most of his spiritual service.

First Timothy is one of Paul's three ''Pastoral Epistles.'' Paul's other letters, such as Romans, Ephesians, and Colossians, are meant for a broader audience. First Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus are written to specific people whom Paul is advising on how to best lead their local churches. These three letters present a close look at the form and function of church leadership. First Timothy, like 2 Timothy and Titus, is less formal and systematic, and more personal. This gives great insight into the way pastors, deacons, and elders ought to prioritize their time and energy.