1 Timothy 5:9

No widow should be put on the list ¹  unless ²  she is at least sixty years old, was the wife of one husband, ³ 

No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband,

A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,

A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband.

Sign some widows up for the special ministry of offering assistance. They will in turn receive support from the church. They must be over sixty, married only once,

Let no woman be numbered among the widows who is under sixty years old, and only if she has been the wife of one man,

Let a widow be put on the list if she is not less than sixty years old and has been married only once;

Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man,

No widow should be put on the list ¹  unless ²  she is at least sixty years old, was the wife of one husband, ³ 

¹ sn This list was an official enrollment, apparently with a formal pledge to continue as a widow and serve the Lord in that way (cf. v. 12). It was either (1) the list of “true widows” who were given support by the church or (2) a smaller group of older women among the supported widows who were qualified for special service (perhaps to orphans, other widows, the sick, etc.). Most commentators understand it to be the former, since a special group is not indicated clearly. See G. W. Knight, Pastoral Epistles, 222-23 for discussion.

² tn Grk “let a widow be enrolled if she has reached not less than sixty years.”

³ tn Or “a woman married only once,” “was devoted solely to her husband” (see the note on “wife” in 1 Tim 3:2; also 1 Tim 3:12; Titus 1:6).