1 Timothy 5:16
If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed. If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
Believing men and women who have widows are first responsible to relieve their own aged and widowed relatives at home rather than sending them away. It is not best to gather the aged together in institutions for their care. Only when family members cannot minister to their own relatives does the work belong to the church, to be accepted as both a duty and a privilege, with the feeble and aged regarded with special respect and tenderness in the spirit of Christ.
This order keeps the church from being charged so that it may relieve those who are widows indeed, meaning widows who truly lack support and have no family to help them. The verse gives priority to the needy within the household of faith, especially the widows and orphans of God's people, rather than diverting their limited support to people who could provide for themselves. The instructions about helping the poor concern the unfortunate and afflicted, not people whose need results from their own failure to work or manage their means. The presence of widows and invalids in the church gives other believers an opportunity to show Christlike compassion and develop their character.