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1 Timothy 5:5
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5 Now [de] she that is a widow [chera] indeed, [ontos] and [kai] desolate, [monoo] trusteth [elpizo] in [epi] God, [theos] and [kai] continueth [prosmeno] in supplications [deesis] and [kai] prayers [proseuche] night [nux] and [kai] day. [hemera] KJV-Interlinear
5 Now she who is a widow indeed, and who has been left alone has fixed her hope on God, and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. NASB
The first criteria for knowing who is destitute, is whether they (widows), have family or not. Those women who have resources, should look first to their family and the things they have, to sustain themselves, and not to burden others when they have options.
However, Paul notes the phrase ‘indeed.’ This means the women, widows, who have lost their husbands and have nothing, and no one, with which to turn to for help.
The word for desolate, ‘monoo,’ means single, and indicates being totally alone, forsaken and without resources.
The second criteria is that she be a Christian. The word for trust, ‘elpizo,’ means a continual state, and her trust is to be continual in God, and not in other worldly things.
This does not prevent Christians from helping unbelieving women (or others), for that is an option for charity, Gal. 6:10, but the Church (collectively) has a mandated obligation is to help Christians in desperate need.
However, those who are in receipt of help, have an obligation as well, and that is to maintain a state of spiritual growth through prayer, through worship, through daily study, and so forth.
And they are to pursue their spiritual life legitimately, night and day, which is not literal, but an expression for, ‘all of the time.’ And that is really a mandate for us all, for obvious reasons.
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