1 Timothy Chapter 5, Verse 16
From BibleWiki
16: ει τις πιστος η πιστη εχει χηρας επαρκειτω αυταις και μη βαρεισθω η εκκλησια ινα ταις οντως χηραις επαρκεση
16: If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them
relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may
relieve them that are widows indeed.
16: If any of the faithful have widows, let him minister to them, and
let not the church be charged: that there may be sufficient for them
that are widows indeed.
If any man or woman that believeth. Christians are often simply called believers, because faith is the leading and most important act of their religion.
Have widows. Widowed mothers, or grandmothers, or any other widows whose support would naturally devolve on them.
Let them relieve them. That is, let them support them. This was an obvious rule of duty. "1 Tim 5:8".
Nothing can be more unreasonable than to leave those who are properly dependent on us to be supported by others, when we are able to maintain them ourselves.
That it may relieve, etc. That it may have the means of supporting those who are truly dependent. To require or expect the church, therefore, to support those whom we ought ourselves to support, is, in fact, to rob the poor and friendless.
- "charged" "burdened"
