5 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.
5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
5 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day,
5 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.
5 Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.
5 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.
6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.
6 But a widow who exploits people's emotions and pocketbooks - well, there's nothing to her.
6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.
6 But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.
(Read 1 Timothy 5:3-8)
Honour widows that are widows indeed, relieve them, and maintain them. It is the duty of children, if their parents are in need, and they are able to relieve them, to do it to the utmost of their power. Widowhood is a desolate state; but let widows trust in the Lord, and continue in prayer. All who live in pleasure, are dead while they live, spiritually dead, dead in trespasses and sins. Alas, what numbers there are of this description among nominal Christians, even to the latest period of life! If any men or women do not maintain their poor relations, they in effect deny the faith. If they spend upon their lusts and pleasures, what should maintain their families, they have denied the faith, and are worse than infidels. If professors of the gospel give way to any corrupt principle or conduct, they are worse than those who do not profess to believe the doctrines of grace.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Timothy 5:5
Commentary on 1 Timothy 5:3-8
(Read 1 Timothy 5:3-8)
Honour widows that are widows indeed, relieve them, and maintain them. It is the duty of children, if their parents are in need, and they are able to relieve them, to do it to the utmost of their power. Widowhood is a desolate state; but let widows trust in the Lord, and continue in prayer. All who live in pleasure, are dead while they live, spiritually dead, dead in trespasses and sins. Alas, what numbers there are of this description among nominal Christians, even to the latest period of life! If any men or women do not maintain their poor relations, they in effect deny the faith. If they spend upon their lusts and pleasures, what should maintain their families, they have denied the faith, and are worse than infidels. If professors of the gospel give way to any corrupt principle or conduct, they are worse than those who do not profess to believe the doctrines of grace.