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Take care of[a] any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.

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. But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives. Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism.

But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:3 Or Honor.

Honor widows who are really widows. If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some repayment to their parents, for this is pleasing in God’s sight.(A) The real widow, left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day,(B) but the widow[a] who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.(C) Give these commands as well, so that they may be above reproach.(D) And whoever does not provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 5.6 Gk she