1 Timothy 5:14
New International Version
So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.

New Living Translation
So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

English Standard Version
So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander.

Berean Standard Bible
So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore I want the younger ones to marry, to bear children, to manage their households, to give the one opposing no occasion on account of reproach.

King James Bible
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

New King James Version
Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, have children, manage their households, and give the enemy no opportunity for reproach;

NASB 1995
Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;

NASB 1977
Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no opportunity for reviling,

Amplified Bible
So I want younger widows to get married, have children, manage their households, and not give opponents of the faith any occasion for slander.

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us.

American Standard Version
I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, give no occasion to the adversary for reviling:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I am willing therefore that the younger ones marry, bear children, lead their households and do not give any occasion of contempt to the enemies;

Contemporary English Version
I would prefer that young widows get married, have children, and look after their families. Then the enemy won't have any reason to say insulting things about us.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I will therefore that the younger should marry, bear children, be mistresses of families, give no occasion to the adversary to speak evil.

English Revised Version
I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, give none occasion to the adversary for reviling:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So I want younger widows to marry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them.

Good News Translation
So I would prefer that the younger widows get married, have children, and take care of their homes, so as to give our enemies no chance of speaking evil of us.

International Standard Version
Therefore, I want younger widows to remarry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them.

Literal Standard Version
I intend, therefore, younger ones to marry, to bear children, to be mistress of the house, to give no occasion to the opposer of reviling;

Majority Standard Bible
So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.

New American Bible
So I would like younger widows to marry, have children, and manage a home, so as to give the adversary no pretext for maligning us.

NET Bible
So I want younger women to marry, raise children, and manage a household, in order to give the adversary no opportunity to vilify us.

New Revised Standard Version
So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, and manage their households, so as to give the adversary no occasion to revile us.

New Heart English Bible
I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for reviling.

Webster's Bible Translation
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

Weymouth New Testament
I would therefore have the younger women marry, bear children, rule in domestic matters, and furnish the Adversary with no excuse for slander.

World English Bible
I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for insulting.

Young's Literal Translation
I wish, therefore, younger ones to marry, to bear children, to be mistress of the house, to give no occasion to the opposer to reviling;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Support for Widows
13At 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. 14So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander. 15For some have already turned aside to follow Satan.…

Cross References
1 Corinthians 7:9
But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

1 Timothy 2:8
Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.

1 Timothy 4:3
They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

1 Timothy 6:1
All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God's name and our teaching will not be discredited.

Titus 2:5
to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.


Treasury of Scripture

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

I will.

1 Timothy 2:8
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

the younger.

1 Timothy 5:11
But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

1 Timothy 4:3
Forbidding 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 Corinthians 7:8,9
I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I…

guide.

Genesis 18:6,9
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth…

Proverbs 14:1
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

Proverbs 31:27-29
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness…

give.

1 Timothy 6:1
Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

2 Samuel 12:14
Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

Daniel 6:4
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

to speak reproachfully.

Luke 23:35-41
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God…

Jump to Previous
Adversary Bear Chance Children Controlling Counsel Desire Domestic Enemy Evil Excuse Families Furnish Guide Homes House Household Households Manage Married Marry Matters Mistress Occasion Ones Opportunity Reproach Reproachfully Respect Revile Reviling Rule Slander Speak Want Widows Wish Women Younger
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Adversary Bear Chance Children Controlling Counsel Desire Domestic Enemy Evil Excuse Families Furnish Guide Homes House Household Households Manage Married Marry Matters Mistress Occasion Ones Opportunity Reproach Reproachfully Respect Revile Reviling Rule Slander Speak Want Widows Wish Women Younger
1 Timothy 5
1. Rules to be observed in reproving.
3. Of widows.
17. Of elders.
23. A precept for Timothy's health.
24. Some men's sins go before unto judgment, and some men's follow after.














(14) I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house.--Here the Apostle deliberately expresses his will that in these Christian communities the younger widows should not, in the first fervour of their zeal, when borne down by sorrow, attempt anything like an ascetic life, which they would probably tire of after a season; they would thus, in the long run, instead of benefiting, positively injure the cause of Christ. St. Paul's practical mind, guided by the Spirit of God, has left us no impossible rules of perfection, no exaggerated praises of asceticism, of lofty self-denial, no passionate exhortings to a life made up entirely of self-sacrifice and of self-surrender.

He knew the ordinary man or woman was incapable of such exalted heroism, and therefore was too wise, too loving, even to recommend a life which few could live. It was not that the Master, Christ, and the greatest of his servants, St. Paul, did not themselves prize and admire the higher ideal and the nobler life--for was it not their own? Did not one attain to it, and the other die in his hero-efforts to reach it? But Master and scholar in their gospel of the world have left commands that all, not the few, can obey--have enjoined a life which all, not the few, may live.

Give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.--The reference here is not to the devil--as would at first appear probable from the direct reference in the next verse--but to the enemy of Christ--the sneering worldly man, who, jealous of a faith which he declines to receive, and envious of a life in which he will not share, is always on the look-out to discover flaws and failings in the avowed professors of a religion which he hates. (Comp. Titus 2:8.)

Verse 14. - Desire for will, A.V.; widows (in italics) for women A.V.; rule the household for guide the house, A.V.; for reviling for to speak reproachfully, A.V. Widows. As the whole discourse is about widows, it is better to supply this as the substantive understood in νεωτέρας. In ver. 11 we have νεωτέρας χήρας. The οῦν which precedes is a further proof that this direction or command of the apostle's springs from what he had just been saying about the young widows, and therefore that what follows relates to them, and not to women generally. In order to avoid the scandal mentioned in ver. 11 of the young widows first dedicating their widowhood to Christ, and then drawing back and marrying, he directs that they should follow the natural course and marry, in doing which they would be blameless. Bear children (τεκνογονεῖν): here only in the New Testament or LXX.; but τεκνογονία occurs in 1 Timothy 2:15 (where see note). Rule the household (οἰκοδεσποτεῖν; here only in this sense); act the part of οἰκοδέσποινα, the mistress of a family (Plutarch and elsewhere). οἱκοδεσπότης frequent in the New Testament, and kindred words are used in classical Greek. For reviling (λοιδορίας χάριν). The adversary (ὁ ἀντικείμενος), the opponent of Christianity, was always seeking some occasion to speak reproachfully of Christians and revile them. Any misconduct on the part of Christian widows would give him the occasion he was looking for. They must be doubly careful, therefore, lest they should bring reproach upon the Name of Christ (camp. James 2:7; 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 4:4, 14, 15). "Λοιδορίας χάριν is added... to ἀφορμὴν διδόναι to specify the manner in which the occasion would be used" Ellicott). Do not give the adversary a starting-point from which he may be able to carry out his desire to revile the people of God.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

I advise
Βούλομαι (Boulomai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1014: To will, intend, desire, wish. Middle voice of a primary verb; to 'will, ' i.e. be willing.

[the] younger [widows]
νεωτέρας (neōteras)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural - Comparative
Strong's 3501: (a) young, youthful, (b) new, fresh.

to marry,
γαμεῖν (gamein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1060: To marry, used of either sex. From gamos; to wed.

have children,
τεκνογονεῖν (teknogonein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 5041: To bear children, beget, rear a family. From a compound of teknon and the base of ginomai; to be a child-bearer, i.e. Parent.

[and] manage their households,
οἰκοδεσποτεῖν (oikodespotein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 3616: To manage a household. From oikodespotes; to be the head of a family.

so they will not give
διδόναι (didonai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

adversary
ἀντικειμένῳ (antikeimenō)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 480: To resist, oppose, withstand, lie opposite to. From anti and keimai; to lie opposite, i.e. Be adverse to.

an occasion
ἀφορμὴν (aphormēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 874: From a compound of apo and hormao; a starting-point, i.e. an opportunity.

for
χάριν (charin)
Preposition
Strong's 5484: Accusative case of charis as preposition; through favor of, i.e. On account of.

slander.
λοιδορίας (loidorias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3059: Reviling, abuse. From loidoros; slander or vituperation.


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NT Letters: 1 Timothy 5:14 I desire therefore that the younger widows (1 Tim. 1Ti iTi 1tim i Tm)
1 Timothy 5:13
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