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Thursday, August 28th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

Simplified Cowboy Version

1 Timothy 5:3

If a widow needs a hand, be the first to offer it.

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

Christian Standard Bible®
Support widows who are genuinely in need.
King James Version (1611)
Honour widowes that are widowes indeed.
King James Version
Honour widows that are widows indeed.
English Standard Version
Honor widows who are truly widows.
New American Standard Bible
Honor widows who are actually widows;
New Century Version
Take care of widows who are truly widows.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Honor widows who are widows indeed;
Legacy Standard Bible
Honor widows who 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.
Darby Translation
Honour widows who are really widows;
Easy-to-Read Version
Take care of widows who really need help.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Honour widowes, which are widowes in deede.
George Lamsa Translation
Honor widows who are widows indeed.
Good News Translation
Show respect for widows who really are all alone.
Lexham English Bible
Honor widows who are truly widows.
Literal Translation
Honor widows, the ones being true widows.
Amplified Bible
Honor and help those widows who are truly widowed [alone, and without support].
American Standard Version
Honor widows that are widows indeed.
Bible in Basic English
Give honour to widows who are truly widows.
Hebrew Names Version
Honor widows who are widows indeed.
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Honour wydowes, whiche are wydowes in deede.
English Revised Version
Honour widows that are widows indeed.
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.
Update Bible Version
Honor widows that are widows indeed.
Webster's Bible Translation
Honor widows that are widows indeed.
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 Life Bible
Help women whose husbands have died.
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.
Revised Standard Version
Honor widows who are real widows.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Honoure widdowes which are true wyddowes.
Young's Literal Translation
honour widows who are really 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.

Contextual Overview

3If a widow needs a hand, be the first to offer it. 4But don't step in to help if her family should be doing it. If they ride for the brand, let them take care of their own, tell them to do this. This is how they should honor their mothers and fathers. And plus, God likes it too. 5If a widow truly is all by herself, I guarantee you she's relying on God to give her a hand. She's been praying every single day and every single night for help. 6But keep a wary eye out for widows who don't really need help, but get the attention they desire with tearful sob stories. A woman who'd do that is dead already. 7Teach people how to tell the real difference in the two. 8Any real cowboy doesn't have to be told to take care of his family. If he doesn't, he ain't a real cowboy and is worse than an unbeliever in God's eyes. 9Keep a list of the widows in need, but they need to be over sixty. They also must have been a faithful wife to their husband. 10She must also be well respected around the area. This respect should come from her previously being a good momma, feeding hungry cowboys passing through, cleaning up those who need help, lending a hand to those who are sick, and never tiring of doing good things. 11If 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. 12They'll soon be doing things those of the faith shouldn't do.

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

Luke 1:35
Gabriel said, "You ain't gotta worry about that part. God will take care of it. This baby is going to be holy, and he is gonna be God's only boy.
John 3:6
Humans can only make humans, but the Holy Spirit can give birth to spiritual life.
Romans 5:12
When Adam sinned, he doomed us all. Adam's sin brought death and no one escapes it because everyone sins.
1 Corinthians 15:39
Just think about how different life is here on earth. People have one type of body, animals another, and still birds have something completely different just like the fish have something different.
Ephesians 2:3
But the truth is, all of us used to act like that. We only followed what felt good at the moment. We thought we were doing what we wanted, but we were being guided by the devil. Because of this, it's no wonder we were destined to be punished by God.

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.


 
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