1 Timothy 5:9–16 | Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary

The Grace Notes devotions in 2025 are based on verses from 1 Timothy. Each devotion includes Greek, pastoral ministry notes, and prayer.

In chapter 5, Paul gives Timothy counsel about how to serve various groups of people in the church. In verses three through sixteen the people group under consideration is widows. How to care for widows was a significant issue in the early Christian church. While the care of widows is not a top issue in most of our churches today, Paul’s guidance does help pastors today as they manage God’s household.

9 Χήρα καταλεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή, 10 ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς μαρτυρουμένη, εἰ ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν, εἰ ἐξενοδόχησεν, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν, εἰ θλιβομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν, εἰ παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησεν. 11 νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηνιάσωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσιν, 12 ἔχουσαι κρίμα ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν· 13 ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσιν, περιερχόμεναι τὰς οἰκίας, οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀργαὶ ἀλλὰ καὶ φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι, λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα. 14 βούλομαι οὖν νεωτέρας γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν, μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν διδόναι τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοιδορίας χάριν· 15 ἤδη γάρ τινες ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ. 16 εἴ τις πιστὴ ἔχει χήρας, ἐπαρκείτω αὐταῖς, καὶ μὴ βαρείσθω ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἵνα ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκέσῃ.

“Let a widow be enrolled (καταλεγέσθω),” Paul says, if she meets certain requirements. Paul and Timothy knew what kind of enrollment this was. From afar, we see two possibilities: enrollment on a list of widows who would receive support from the church or enrollment on a list of widows who would serve in the church. The detailed list of requirements argues for the latter. If that is the case, this last section of verses three through sixteen (vv. 9–15) is more about the service of widows in the church than the service of the church to widows.

The first requirement for such a widow is negative: she must not be less than 60 years old (μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα). Two positive requirements are stated: she must be a one-man woman (ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή; i.e., a woman who was faithful to her husband), and she must be known for her honorable works of service (ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς μαρτυρουμένη). Paul lists five examples of such works: she raised children, she showed hospitality to others, she washed the feet of the saints, she helped people who were afflicted, and she devoted herself to every helpful work. In other words, she was a believer who served faithfully whenever she had the opportunity.

11 νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηνιάσωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσιν, 12 ἔχουσαι κρίμα ὅτι τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν· 13 ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἀργαὶ μανθάνουσιν, περιερχόμεναι τὰς οἰκίας, οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀργαὶ ἀλλὰ καὶ φλύαροι καὶ περίεργοι, λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα.

Paul goes on to tell Timothy not to allow young widows to be enrolled. There were two reasons. First, this service involved a lifelong pledge. Young widows still had the natural impulse to remarry. If they did, they would have to put their desires ahead of Christ (καταστρηνιάσωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ), breaking their first pledge (τὴν πρώτην πίστιν ἠθέτησαν). Second, young widows who went from house to house (possibly as a part of their service in the church) might easily learn how to be idlers (ἀργαὶ), gossips (φλύαροι), and busybodies/meddlers (περίεργοι)—speaking things they ought not (λαλοῦσαι τὰ μὴ δέοντα). It was Paul’s experience and perhaps Timothy’s too that many young widows were not able to serve well in this role.

14 βούλομαι οὖν νεωτέρας γαμεῖν, τεκνογονεῖν, οἰκοδεσποτεῖν, μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν διδόναι τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ λοιδορίας χάριν· 15 ἤδη γάρ τινες ἐξετράπησαν ὀπίσω τοῦ Σατανᾶ. 16 εἴ τις πιστὴ ἔχει χήρας, ἐπαρκείτω αὐταῖς, καὶ μὴ βαρείσθω ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἵνα ταῖς ὄντως χήραις ἐπαρκέσῃ.

Paul tells Timothy to counsel young widows to get married (again), to have children, and to manage their households (οἰκοδεσποτεῖν)—so as not to give the enemy an opportunity to revile the church. The enemy referred to here is probably Satan (note his mention in the following verse). Satan revels in reviling the church whenever there is a shameful misstep among God’s holy people. Already certain young widows had turned away from God to follow after Satan. Again, because we are far removed, we do not know exactly what this means. In any case, the behavior of the young widows was unfortunate, and the reputation of the church was harmed.

“If a believing woman has widows (in her family), let her take care of them, and let not the church be burdened (with them), so the church can care for those who are truly widows (i.e., widows who do not have anyone else to care for them).”

While we do not know many of the details of the situations and difficulties Paul is writing about, this section is a reminder that Christ’s church must wrestle with many difficulties this side of heaven. Such difficulties are caused by the devil and the world around us, but they also come from the sinful natures of people in the church. Greed, irresponsibility, idleness, gossip, meddling, broken promises—how quickly such things crop up in the church, caused sometimes by the men and women who have been called to serve in public ministry.

We do not grow weary in dealing with such problems. The Lord provides the patience, wisdom, love—and all that we need—to deal with them now and to head them off in the future. In all such struggles, God’s faithful people are reminded of their need for his grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Such difficulties make them yearn for their home of righteousness in heaven.

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, send a rich measure of your Holy Spirit to the men and women who serve publicly in your church. Guide and protect them. Forgive them when they fall. Continue to make your kingdom come among us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

P.S. For further reading, we recommend Pres. emeritus David Valleskey’s recent book, The Splendid Task of the Ministry: A Pastoral Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles (NPH, 2023).