widow

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “widow” in English is translated in West Kewa as ona wasa or “woman shadow” (source: Karl J. Franklin in Notes on Translation 70/1978, pp. 13ff.) and in Newari as “husband already died ones” or “ones who have no husband” (source: Newari Back Translation).

In Cherokee the term is gender neutral and translates to “one who has lost someone.” (Source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 100)

The etymological meaning of the Hebrew almanah (אַלְמָנָה) is likely “pain, ache,” the Greek chéra (χήρα) is likely “to leave behind,” “abandon,” and the English widow (as well as related terms in languages such as Dutch, German, Sanskrit, Welsh, or Persian) is “to separate,” “divide” (source: Wiktionary).

See also widows.

complete verse (1 Timothy 5:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 5:3:

  • Uma: “If there are women who are really widows, who really have no-one to take care of them, our one-faith relatives must of course take care of them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then, about the widows who trust Isa Almasi if they have no one to care for them, treat-according-to-(good)-custom/honor them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Take good care of the widow women who have no one to depend on for their livelihood.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If there are women who are widows (by itself the word can also mean widower), respect them and also help them if they have no relatives to take-care of them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Look after well the widows/widowers who have no relatives to rely on.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the widows who do not have anyone to provide for their needs, their fellow believers should help them with what they need.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 5:3

The word for Honor is used here to mean showing reverential respect and sympathy, but this has been interpreted to include caring and providing for material needs. While this is supported by the context (see especially verse 16), it is perhaps best to take Honor in its narrower sense, that is, as showing an attitude of respect, but which then results in caring concern; in other words, respecting the widows in a practical way. Perhaps one may translate “Do good for the widows…,” or “Pay attention to (or, Take care of) the needs of the widows…,” or even “Show respect for the widows by paying attention to their needs.”

Widows who are real widows is literally “widows who really are widows,” that is, widows who have no means of material support other than the Christian community. This is certainly the reason for the Good News Translation rendering “widows who really are all alone,” with “alone” interpreted not primarily in a physical sense (that is living alone) but in the sense that these widows have no family members or relatives to support them materially and therefore are completely dependent on the community for their material needs. Another way of expressing this sentence is “widows who have no one to support them,” “widows who have no family members alive,” or “any widow who is really needy.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Show respect to the widows who have no family members alive to support them. Do this by paying attention to their needs.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 Timothy 5:3

Paragraph 5:3–8

A community of believers should care for widows who have no family to care for them.

5:3

Honor the widows who are truly widows: In this context Honor especially refers to the way that Paul wanted Timothy (and others) to treat widows who were poor. He was to show that he respected them. He wanted people to show this respect by supporting them from the church offering so they could buy what they needed. (Knight, page 216, speculates as to why the verb “to honor” is in the second person imperative, singular: “Paul may have been influenced by the second person singular imperative in the fifth commandment.

widows: A widow is a woman whose husband has died. At the time when Paul was writing this letter, widows usually had no goods or services to exchange for food or clothing. They had to receive care from close family. A widow with no husband or other close family had no way to feed or clothe herself.

who are truly widows: This refers to widows who did not have children or grandchildren who could care for them. The Berean Standard Bible’s literal translation could be confusing, because although a widow could have several wealthy children, she is, of course, still a widow. However she does not need support from the church because her family can care for her. So it is recommended that you do not translate the Greek literally here but follow the New International Version (2011 Revision) (“widows who are really in need”) or the Good News Translation (“widows who really are all alone.”)

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