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OET (OET-LV) But if any widow is_having children or grandchildren, let_them_be_learning to_be_devout first to_their own household, and to_be_giving_back recompense to_the parents, because/for this is acceptable before the god.
OET (OET-RV) because if a widow has children or grandchildren, then they should be learning to show their godliness to their own relatives first, and to be repaying their parents and grandparents because this is what God expects.
A community of believers should care for widows who have no family to care for them.
But if a widow has children or grandchildren,
But if a widow has children or grandchildren,
But: The Greek particle de that the BSB translates as But indicates that Paul was contrasting widows who had no family (5:3) with those who had a family (5:4a).
children or grandchildren: When Paul was saying children or grandchildren, he was referring to both men and women.
they must first learn to show godliness
those children and grandchildren should learn to practice being godly first of all
they should begin to show that they believe in God
they must first learn: The Greek word that the BSB translates as they must…learn is a third-person command. That means that although Paul was giving the command to Timothy, he meant Timothy to pass it on to others. Paul was actually commanding the children and grandchildren to learn: it was their duty or obligation to take care of their families.
first: This means that one of the most important things for believers to do is to help their widowed mothers and grandmothers.
learn: In this context, the Greek word that the BSB translates as learn means to practice or learn by experience, rather than just from books or a teacher.
to show godliness: The Greek word that the BSB translates as to show godliness means “to show piety, be reverent.” Usually this verb is used about reverence to God. However, here it means that believers should show their devotion to God by the way in which they treat their own family. This is their duty as believers.
to their own family
by caring for this member of their family.
by the way that they care for this widow who is part of their own family.
to their own family: Believers should take practical care of family members; that is, they should make sure that they have a place to live and enough to eat and wear.
their own family: The Greek word that the BSB translates as family literally means “house, household.” In Paul’s time, a “household” included servants as well as relatives such as grandparents (see the note on 3:12b). Paul wanted people to care for any widow in the household for whom they were responsible.
and repay their parents,
In this way they can repay their mother or grandmother for caring for them.
repay: The Greek word that the BSB translates as repay means “to pay something back.” When the believers were children, these women cared for them. Paul wanted the believers to care for their mothers or grandmothers in the same way now.
parents: The Greek word that the BSB translates as parents literally means “ancestors.” In this context, Paul was especially talking about mothers and grandmothers. This was because they were the ones who most urgently needed someone to support them when they became widows.
for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
For it pleases God when people do this.
For this is what God wants people to do.
for: The connector for introduces the reason that children and grandchildren should care for their mothers and grandmothers.
pleasing in the sight of God: The phrase pleasing in the sight of God refers to the way that God wants people to act. He is pleased when they do so.
In some languages it may be helpful to reorder this verse. For example, you may need to say first that children should take care of their own family. Then you could say that this is the way that they should learn to put their religion into practice. One way to do this is:
4aBut if a widow has children or grandchildren, 4cthese should take care of their own family 4dand repay their parents and grandparents. 4bThis is the most important way for them to learn to put their religion into practice, 4eand it is pleasing to God.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα
children (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ τὶς χήρα τέκνα ἤ ἔκγονα ἔχει μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον τόν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν καί ἀμοιβάς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις τοῦτο γάρ ἐστίν ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ)
Here Paul implies that these children and grandchildren are adults who are able to care for others. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [grown children or grandchildren]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
πρῶτον
first
Here, the word first indicates that doing what Paul commands in this verse is very important. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [first of all] or [before anything else,]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative3p
μανθανέτωσαν
˱them˲_˓let_be˒_learning
If your language does not use the third-person imperative in this way, you could state this in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [they must learn]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
μανθανέτωσαν
˱them˲_˓let_be˒_learning
Here, learn represents experiencing something by doing it repeatedly. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [let them consistently act] or [let them figure out how]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ τὶς χήρα τέκνα ἤ ἔκγονα ἔχει μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον τόν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν καί ἀμοιβάς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις τοῦτο γάρ ἐστίν ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ)
Here Paul implies that one important way to treat one’s family in a godly way is to take care of and provide for them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [to treat their own household in a godly way, especially by providing for them,]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ τὶς χήρα τέκνα ἤ ἔκγονα ἔχει μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον τόν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν καί ἀμοιβάς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις τοῦτο γάρ ἐστίν ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ)
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of repayment, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [to repay their forebears]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ τὶς χήρα τέκνα ἤ ἔκγονα ἔχει μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον τόν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν καί ἀμοιβάς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις τοῦτο γάρ ἐστίν ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ)
Here Paul speaks as if people taking care of their forebears were a repayment for how their forebears took care of them. He means that this is an appropriate way for people to treat their forebears given what the forebears did for them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [to provide for their forebears in return for how their forebears provided for them]
Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
γάρ
for
Here, the word for introduces a reason why children and grandchildren should care for their ancestors. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a reason or basis for a command, or you could leave for untranslated. Alternate translation: [since] or [which they should do because]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ
before ¬the God
Here, the phrase before God refers to God’s evaluation or view about something. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [in the eyes of God] or [to God]
5:3-16 A widow without wealth or family was alone in a world that did not provide for her. The Christian community was expected to care for such widows among its members (see Deut 10:17-19; Isa 1:17; cp. Acts 6:1-6; Jas 1:27). Some have argued that this passage suggests a religious order of widows in the first-century church at Ephesus, but there is no certain evidence of such an order in the first-century church, only of a ministry of care for community members without means.
OET (OET-LV) But if any widow is_having children or grandchildren, let_them_be_learning to_be_devout first to_their own household, and to_be_giving_back recompense to_the parents, because/for this is acceptable before the god.
OET (OET-RV) because if a widow has children or grandchildren, then they should be learning to show their godliness to their own relatives first, and to be repaying their parents and grandparents because this is what God expects.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.