¹tn Or “Do not speak harshly to an older man.”
²tn No verb “speak” is stated in this clause, but it continues the sense of the preceding.
³sn The word honor here carries the double meaning of respect and financial support. This Greek word can imply both senses, and both are intended in this context.
⁴tn Grk “the real widows,” “those who are really widows.”
⁵tn Or “to practice their religion.”
⁶tn Or “and so make some repayment to their parents”; Grk “and to give back recompense to their parents.”
⁷tn Grk “for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”
⁸tn Or “left all alone.”
⁹tn For “is dead even” the Greek text reads “has died.”
¹⁰tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
¹¹tn Grk “and command these things.”
¹²tn That is, “his own relatives.”
¹³sn This list was an official enrollment, apparently with a formal pledge to continue as a widow and serve the Lord in that way (cf. v. 12). It was either (1) the list of “true widows” who were given support by the church or (2) a smaller group of older women among the supported widows who were qualified for special service (perhaps to orphans, other widows, the sick, etc.). Most commentators understand it to be the former, since a special group is not indicated clearly. See G. W. Knight, Pastoral Epistles, 222-23 for discussion.
¹⁴tn Grk “let a widow be enrolled if she has reached not less than sixty years.”
¹⁵tn Or “a woman married only once,” “was devoted solely to her husband” (see the note on “wife” in 1 Tim 3:2; also 1 Tim 3:12; Titus 1:6).
¹⁶tn Grk “if she raised children.” The phrase “if she raised children” begins a series of conditional clauses running to the end of the verse. These provide specific examples of her good works (v. 10a).
¹⁷tn Grk “followed after every good work.”
¹⁸tn Grk “refuse younger widows.”
¹⁹tn With a single verb and object, this clause means “pursue sensuous desires in opposition to Christ.”
²⁰tn Grk “incurring judgment because they reject their first faith.”
sn The pledge refers most likely to a vow not to remarry undertaken when a widow is put on the list (cf. 1 Tim 5:9).
²¹tn “going around.” L&N 15.23 suggests the meaning, “to move about from place to place, with significant changes in direction—‘to travel about, to wander about.’”
²²tn Or “idle.” The whole clause (“going around from house to house, they learn to be lazy”) reverses the order of the Greek. The present participle periercovmenai (periercomenai) may be taken as temporal (“while going around”), instrumental (“by going around”) or result (“with the result that they go around”).
²³tn Grk “saying the things that are unnecessary.” Or perhaps “talking about things that are none of their business.”
²⁴tn Grk “for the sake of reviling.”
²⁵tn Grk “wandered away after Satan.”
²⁶tc Most witnesses (D Y Ï sy) have pistoV" h[ (pisto" h) before pisthv (pisth), with the resultant meaning “if a believing man or woman.” But such looks to be a motivated reading, perhaps to bring some parity to the responsibilities of men and women listed here, and as a way of harmonizing with v. 4. Further, most of the earliest and best witnesses (Í A C F G P 048 33 81 1175 1739 1881 co) lack the pistoV" h[, strengthening the preference for the shorter reading.
²⁷tn Grk “has widows.”
²⁸tn Grk “the real widows,” “those who are really widows.”
²⁹tn Grk “who lead well.”
³⁰tn Or “deserving.”
³¹tn Like the similar use of “honor” in v. 3, this phrase denotes both respect and remuneration: “honor plus honorarium.”
³²tn Or “in preaching”; Grk “in word.”
³³sn A quotation from Deut 25:4.
³⁴sn A quotation from Luke 10:7.
³⁵sn An allusion to Deut 17:6, 19:15.
³⁶sn As a continuation of v. 19, this refers to elders who sin, not to sinning believers more generally.
³⁷tn Or “censured.” The Greek word implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.
³⁸tn “Before all” probably refers to the whole congregation, not just all the elders; “the rest” is more likely to denote the remaining elders.
³⁹tn Grk “that the rest may have fear.”
⁴⁰tn Grk “doing nothing according to partiality.”
⁴¹tn In context “laying hands on anyone” refers to ordination or official installation of someone as an elder.
⁴²tn Grk “and do not share in the sins of others.”
⁴³tn Grk “for the sake of your stomach.”
⁴⁴sn This verse gives parenthetical advice to Timothy, to clarify what it means to keep pure (5:22c). Verse 24 resumes the instructions about elders.
⁴⁵tn Grk “they [the sins] follow after others.”