King James Version
What Does 1 Timothy 5:6 Mean?
“But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. in: or, delicately”
Context
4
But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home , and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. piety: or, kindness
5
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
6
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. in: or, delicately
7
And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
8
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. house: or, kindred
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(6) **But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.**—This is a thoroughly Pauline thought, set forth in other language in the Roman Epistle, Romans 8:13 : “For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die.” The word in the Greek rendered “she that liveth in pleasure” is very remarkable, and in the New Testament is found only in one other place (James 5:5). The widow-woman who could so forget her sorrow and her duty is spoken of as a living corpse, and sharply contrasted with her far happier sister, who, dead to the pleasures of the flesh, living a life of prayer and of self-denial, in the true sense of the word, may be spoken of as living. A very different estimate of *life* was held by the greatest of Greek poets, who writes thus of men giving up pleasures: “I do not consider that such a one *lives, *but I regard him as a *living corpse” *(*Antigone* of Sophocles, 1166-7, Dindorf). Comp., too, Revelation 3:1.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of 1 Timothy. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
1 Timothy 5:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to 1 Timothy 5:6
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge