1 Timothy 5:3-16 - The Support Of Widows

³ Always care for widows who are really dependent. ⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in the treatment of their own families, and to pay the debt they owe their parents or grandparents, for this is acceptable to God. ⁵ But a woman who is really a widow and lives alone has fixed her hope on God, and night and day devotes herself to prayers and entreaties, ⁶ while a widow who gives herself up to luxury is really dead though still alive. ⁷ Continue to give these directions so that the people may be without reproach. ⁸ Whoever fails to provide for his own relatives, and especially for those of his immediate family, has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹ No widow under sixty years of age should be put on this roll. A widow must have had but one husband, ¹⁰ must have a reputation for doing good deeds, as bringing up children, being hospitable to strangers, washing the feet of God's people, helping people in distress, or devoting herself to any sort of doing good. ¹¹ Keep the young widows off this roll, for when they get to indulging their lower nature in opposition to Christ, they want to marry, ¹² and so deserve censure for breaking their previous pledge. ¹³ Besides, as they get the habit of gadding about from house to house, they learn to be idle, and not only idle but gossips and busybodies, talking of things they ought not to mention. ¹⁴ So I would have the younger women marry, have children, and keep house, so as not to give our opponents any occasion for slander. ¹⁵ For some widows have already turned aside to follow Satan. ¹⁶ If a Christian woman has widowed relatives, she should help them, and let the church be free from the burden, so that it can help the widows who are really dependent.