And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.
Parallel translations
- WEB Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.
- KJV And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
- BSB At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.
- NASB At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also they become gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.
- NLT And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t.
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
Idle younger widows tend to drift into gossip and meddling, going from house to house and speaking what they ought not. Unstructured idleness breeds spiritual harm.
Overview
Paul observes that without the responsibilities of household and family, some younger widows fall into idleness that ferments into gossip and busybody behavior. The concern is pastoral and practical: idleness easily becomes a doorway to sin against others. The gospel calls believers instead to fruitful, edifying speech and useful labor.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Prov 20:19He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
- 2 Th 3:6–11Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us.
- Prov 31:27She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
- Acts 20:30Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
- Jas 3:10Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
- Titus 1:11whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.
- 1 Pet 4:15For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men’s matters.
- Luke 10:7Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house.
- Lev 19:16“‘You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people. “‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am Yahweh.
- Acts 20:20how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,
- 3 Jn 1:10Therefore if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words. Not content with this, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and those who would, he forbids and throws out of the assembly.
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Original language
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