1 Timothy 5 16

1 Timothy 5:16 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.

1 Timothy 5:16 nkjv

If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.

1 Timothy 5:16 niv

If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.

1 Timothy 5:16 esv

If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.

1 Timothy 5:16 nlt

If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.

1 Timothy 5 verses

1 Timothy 5 16 Meaning

This verse directs individual believers who have widowed family members to provide for them financially and practically. This act of familial care ensures that the church's resources are preserved for and focused on supporting widows who truly lack any other support system, thereby preventing the church from being unduly burdened. It establishes a clear order of responsibility: family first, then the church for those genuinely without familial provision.

1 Timothy 5 16 Context

First Timothy, written by the Apostle Paul to his protege Timothy in Ephesus, serves as a manual for church leadership and conduct. Chapter 5 specifically addresses how the church should care for its various members, particularly focusing on elders, younger members, and extensively, on widows.

Prior to verse 16, Paul outlines criteria for genuine widows—those who are truly desolate, without family support, and devoted to God (1 Tim 5:3-5). He explicitly states that if a widow has children or grandchildren, they are the primary caregivers, reflecting piety toward their own households (1 Tim 5:4). Furthermore, 1 Tim 5:8 provides a severe warning that anyone who does not provide for their own, especially their immediate family, has effectively denied the faith. Verse 16 builds directly upon these preceding instructions, acting as a crucial practical application of these principles, preventing potential abuses of church charity and ensuring resources are properly allocated. Historically, in the Greco-Roman world, extended families were expected to care for their widowed relatives. Paul reinforces this expectation within the Christian community, emphasizing the priority of family responsibility over corporate church provision when familial means are available.

1 Timothy 5 16 Word analysis

• "If any": (Greek: Ei tis - εἰ τις) - Establishes a conditional statement, highlighting a specific scenario that may or may not apply to every believer, but where it does apply, the instruction is imperative.
• "believing man or woman": (Greek: pistos anēr ē gynē - πιστὸς ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνή) - This specifies the subject of the responsibility. "Believing" (pistos) means a Christian, someone who professes faith in Christ. While some ancient manuscripts read only "believing woman" (consistent with other passages on widows' care), the inclusion of "man or woman" in some traditions and its alignment with 1 Tim 5:8 broaden the responsibility to any Christian family member capable of providing support, irrespective of gender.
• "has widows": (Greek: echei chēras - ἔχει χήρας) - This refers to having widowed relatives under one's care or within one's familial sphere of responsibility, not merely acquaintance. It implies direct kinship or an intimate relationship requiring familial obligation.
• "let them relieve them": (Greek: eparkesitō autais - ἐπαρκεσίτω αὐταῖς) - This is a command (imperative mood). "Relieve" (eparkeō) means to assist, help, succor, provide for, or support. It denotes practical aid, likely financial sustenance and overall care. This is the individual believer's primary duty.
• "and do not let the church be burdened": (Greek: kai mē barynesthō hē ekklēsia - καὶ μὴ βαρυνέσθω ἡ ἐκκλησία) - This is a strong negative command or prohibition. "Burdened" (barynetheō) implies being weighed down, oppressed, or overtaxed. It underscores the practical need to manage congregational resources wisely. "The church" (hē ekklēsia) refers to the local Christian assembly, implying its collective funds and organizational capacity.
• "that it may relieve": (Greek: hina eparkesē - ἵνα ἐπαρκέσῃ) - The word "that" (hina) expresses purpose or goal. The purpose of family members providing support is to free up the church's resources for others.
• "those who are really widows": (Greek: tais ontōs chērais - ταῖς ὄντως χήραις) - This precise phrase reinforces the criteria introduced in 1 Tim 5:3-5. "Really widows" means genuinely destitute widows who have no family support and are truly dependent on the church's benevolence, having no other earthly hope or means of sustenance.

Word-groups Analysis:

• "If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them": This phrase firmly places the initial responsibility for a widow's welfare on their immediate Christian family. It highlights Christian duty as extending to practical care for relatives, an echo of both Old Testament family obligations and natural human relational bonds. It prioritizes personal and familial accountability before corporate charity.
• "and do not let the church be burdened": This establishes a practical boundary for church charity. It’s a matter of responsible stewardship. The church's resources, often limited, must be preserved for those for whom it is the only remaining option, and not exploited as an easy alternative to family duty.
• "that it may relieve those who are really widows": This clarifies the intended beneficiaries of the church's formal charity. By delineating clear roles, the church can focus its efforts and generosity on those who truly embody the vulnerability of widowhood as described earlier in the chapter (alone, without support, trusting in God), ensuring that assistance reaches those most desperately in need.

1 Timothy 5 16 Bonus section

• This verse illustrates a practical application of the broader biblical principle of good stewardship. Resources, whether individual or communal, are to be used wisely and strategically to achieve the greatest good for the Kingdom of God and its people.
• The instruction serves as a foundational text for understanding early Christian social welfare practices, differentiating between private familial obligation and collective congregational responsibility. It prevents the church from becoming an indiscriminate social safety net that would unintentionally incentivize neglect of family duty.
• The phrase "truly widows" signifies a classification. Not every woman who had lost her husband qualified for direct church support; rather, only those in the most desperate and vulnerable circumstances, coupled with a godly character, were to be enrolled.
• The overall tone in 1 Timothy regarding widows encourages both care for the vulnerable and wise governance of church affairs, ensuring both compassion and sustainability.

1 Timothy 5 16 Commentary

1 Timothy 5:16 provides critical guidance for managing the care of widows within the early church, emphasizing both familial responsibility and strategic church charity. It underscores that Christian households have the primary duty to care for their own widowed relatives. This precept is not merely an economic expedient, but a moral and spiritual imperative, reflecting the biblical value of honoring family and providing for one's household, a failure of which is deemed a denial of faith (1 Tim 5:8). By entrusting family care to individuals, the church is then empowered to direct its collective resources to those widows who are truly destitute, without any available family support. This approach demonstrates discernment in stewardship, preventing the church's funds and ministries from being drained by burdens that rightfully belong elsewhere, ensuring that genuine needs are met effectively and without overburdening the Christian community's capacity for compassion.