1 Timothy 5:5

Rec. text (and Tregelles) insert τὸν before θεὸν with אcAD2KL (cp. 1 Peter 3:5); om. א*CGP, followed by Tischendorf (cp. ch. 1 Timothy 4:10). Lachmann and Westcott and Hort place it in square brackets. For θεὸν א*D2* have κύριον, and it is possible that, after all, ἐπὶ κύριον may be the true reading. See note in loc.

5. We now come to the characteristics of the true widow. Bereft of her natural supporters, she has fixed her hopes on God, who is her strength, and is given to continual prayer. Liddon aptly quotes Jerome (ad Ageruch. cxxiii. 6) “quibus Deus spes est et omne opus oratio.”

μεμονωμένη is explanatory of the preceding ἡ ὅντως χήρα: μονοῦσθαι is ἅπ. λεγ. in N.T., but is a common Greek word.

ἢλπικεν ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν. Cp. 1 Peter 3:5 αἱ ἅγιαι γυναῖκες αἱ ἐλπίζουσαι εἰς θεόν, and 2 Corinthians 1:10 εἰς ὃν ἠλπίκαμεν ὅτι καὶ ἕτι ῥύσεται. ἐπί (like εἰς) with the acc. expresses the direction towards which hope looks; ἐπί with the dat. (as at 1 Timothy 4:10) indicates the ground of hope and points to that in which hope rests. The reading κύριον (adopted by Weiss) may be right (see crit. note), but more probably it has replaced θεόν through a reminiscence of Psalms 4:6 ἐλπίσατε ἐπὶ Κύριον, or some similar passage.

προσμένει, abides in. The πρός seems to intensify the sense; cp. τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτεροῦντες (Romans 12:12). The compound verb is only used by St Paul here and at 1 Timothy 1:3; it occurs in Judges 3:25; Wis 3:9.

ταῖς δεήσεσιν καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς. see on 1 Timothy 2:1.

νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας. This is always the order in St Paul (not ἡμ. καὶ νυκτ.); cp. 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; 2 Timothy 1:3. The whole clause recalls the description of the widow Anna (Luke 2:37) νηστείαις καὶ δεήσεσιν λατρεύουσα νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν.