{3} But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety {4} at home, and {5} to requite their parents: {6} for that is good and acceptable before God.

(3) Widow's children and nephews must take care of their parents according to their ability.

(4) The first reason, because that which they bestow upon their parents, they bestow it upon themselves.

(5) Another, because nature itself teaches us to repay our parents.

(6) The third: because this duty pleases God.

People's New Testament

5:4 But if any widow hath children or nephews. These must support them, and thus show piety at home. Nephews is better rendered grandchildren, as in the Revised Version.

Wesley's Notes

5:4 Let these learn to requite their parents - For all their former care, trouble, and expense.

King James Translators' Notes

piety: or, kindness

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

4. if any widow have children-not "a widow indeed," as having children who ought to support her.

nephews-rather, as Greek, "descendants," or "grandchildren" [Hesychius]. "Nephews" in old English meant "grandchildren" [Hooker, Ecclesiastical Polity, 5.20].

let them-the children and descendants.

learn first-ere it falls to the Church to support them.

to show piety at home-filial piety towards their widowed mother or grandmother, by giving her sustenance. Literally, "to show piety towards their own house." "Piety is applied to the reverential discharge of filial duties; as the parental relation is the earthly representation of God our heavenly Father's relation to us. "Their own" stands in opposition to the Church, in relation to which the widow is comparatively a stranger. She has a claim on her own children, prior to her claim on the Church; let them fulfil this prior claim which she has on them, by sustaining her and not burdening the Church.

parents-Greek, (living) "progenitors," that is, their mother or grandmother, as the case may be. "Let them learn," implies that abuses of this kind had crept into the Church, widows claiming Church support though they had children or grandchildren able to support them.

good and-The oldest manuscripts omit. The words are probably inserted by a transcriber from 1Ti 2:3.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:3-8 Honour widows that are widows indeed, relieve them, and maintain them. It is the duty of children, if their parents are in need, and they are able to relieve them, to do it to the utmost of their power. Widowhood is a desolate state; but let widows trust in the Lord, and continue in prayer. All who live in pleasure, are dead while they live, spiritually dead, dead in trespasses and sins. Alas, what numbers there are of this description among nominal Christians, even to the latest period of life! If any men or women do not maintain their poor relations, they in effect deny the faith. If they spend upon their lusts and pleasures, what should maintain their families, they have denied the faith, and are worse than infidels. If professors of the gospel give way to any corrupt principle or conduct, they are worse than those who do not profess to believe the doctrines of grace.