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1 Timothy 5 · a question people ask

"Honor widows who are widows indeed." (5:3). Who is a widow indeed?

In the text

Only what the chapter's own words say. The letter speaks first of a widow who "has children or grandchildren" (5:4). Then it says, "Now she who is a widow indeed and desolate, has her hope set on God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day." (5:5). And in the last verse it gives to widows: "that it might relieve those who are widows indeed." (5:16). The letter says no more of who a widow indeed is than these words, and these notes don't either. They apply the words to no widow, family or church today.

The verses

“Honor widows who are widows indeed. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety toward their own family and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God. Now she who is a widow indeed and desolate, has her hope set on God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.”
1 Timothy 5:3-5 · World English Bible
“If any man or woman who believes has widows, let them relieve them, and don’t let the assembly be burdened, that it might relieve those who are widows indeed.”
1 Timothy 5:16 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 1 Timothy 5

1 Timothy 5: Widows indeed

In 1 Timothy 5, relieved in "if she has relieved the afflicted" (5:10) and relieve, twice in 5:16, are one Greek verb the New Testament has nowhere else. And evident (5:24) and obvious (5:25) are one Greek word.

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Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions