But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
Parallel translations
- WEB But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;
- BSB But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,
- NKJV But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry,
- NASB But refuse to register younger widows, for when they feel physical desires alienating them from Christ, they want to get married,
- NLT The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Younger widows should not be enrolled, because their natural desire to remarry may conflict with the pledged service the list entailed. Paul protects them from making vows they cannot keep.
Overview
Paul advises against placing younger widows on the support roll, since the role apparently involved a commitment of devoted service, and their normal desire to remarry could pull them away from it. The phrase grown wanton against Christ suggests their pledge of single-minded service to the Lord might be set aside. Rather than condemning remarriage, Paul is realistic about human desire and seeks to keep both the women and the church from broken commitments.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 1 Tim 5:14I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
- Hos 13:6According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.
- Jas 5:5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
- 1 Cor 7:39–40The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
- Isa 3:16Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:
- Rev 18:7How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
- 1 Tim 4:3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
- 1 Tim 5:9Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,
- Deut 32:15But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
- 2 Pet 2:18For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
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Original language
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