1 Timothy 5:6
New International Version
But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

New Living Translation
But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.

English Standard Version
but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.

Berean Standard Bible
But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.

Berean Literal Bible
But she living in self-indulgence is dead while living.

King James Bible
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

New King James Version
But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.

New American Standard Bible
But she who indulges herself in luxury is dead, even while she lives.

NASB 1995
But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives.

NASB 1977
But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives.

Legacy Standard Bible
But she who lives in self-indulgence is dead even while she lives.

Amplified Bible
Whereas she who lives for pleasure and self-indulgence is spiritually dead even while she still lives.

Christian Standard Bible
however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.

American Standard Version
But she that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth.

Contemporary English Version
A widow who thinks only about having a good time is already dead, even though she is still alive.

English Revised Version
But she that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead although she is still alive.

Good News Translation
But a widow who gives herself to pleasure has already died, even though she lives.

International Standard Version
But the self-indulgent widow is just as good as dead.

Majority Standard Bible
But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.

NET Bible
But the one who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

New Heart English Bible
But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives.

Webster's Bible Translation
But she that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth.

Weymouth New Testament
but a pleasure-loving widow is dead even while still alive.

World English Bible
But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
but she given to luxury [while] living has died;

Berean Literal Bible
But she living in self-indulgence is dead while living.

Young's Literal Translation
and she who is given to luxury, living -- hath died;

Smith's Literal Translation
And she living luxuriously is dead, living.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For she that liveth in pleasures, is dead while she is living.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For she who is living in pleasures is dead, while living.

New American Bible
But the one who is self-indulgent is dead while she lives.

New Revised Standard Version
but the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But she who lives wholly for pleasure is dead while she lives.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But she who worships the Arena is dead while she lives.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But she that lives voluptuously, is dead while she lives.

Godbey New Testament
but she who is wanton is dead though living.

Haweis New Testament
But she who lives voluptuously is dead, though she liveth.

Mace New Testament
the widow of pleasure is dead tho' she lives.

Weymouth New Testament
but a pleasure-loving widow is dead even while still alive.

Worrell New Testament
But she who lives in pleasure, though living, has died.

Worsley New Testament
But she that indulgeth to luxury, is dead while she liveth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Support for Widows
5The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers. 6But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive. 7Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach.…

Cross References
James 5:5
You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.

Revelation 3:1
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead.

Ephesians 2:1
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

Luke 15:24
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

Romans 8:6
The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,

2 Peter 2:13
The harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you.

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,

Matthew 23:27-28
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. / In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Proverbs 21:17
He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.

Ezekiel 16:49
Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy.

Isaiah 47:8
So now hear this, O lover of luxury who sits securely, who says to herself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or know the loss of children.’

Amos 6:4-6
You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge upon your couches. You dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall. / You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments. / You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you fail to grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

Hosea 4:7-10
The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace. / They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity. / And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. ...


Treasury of Scripture

But she that lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.

she.

1 Samuel 25:6
And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

Job 21:11-15
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance…

Psalm 73:5-7
They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men…

in pleasure.

Deuteronomy 28:54,56
So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: …

1 Samuel 15:32
Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.

Proverbs 29:21
He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

dead.

Matthew 8:22
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Luke 15:24,32
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry…

2 Corinthians 5:14,15
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: …

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1 Timothy 5
1. Rules to be observed in reproving.
3. Of widows.
17. Of elders.
23. A precept for Timothy's health.
24. Some men's sins go before unto judgment, and some men's follow after.














But she who lives for pleasure
The phrase "lives for pleasure" is translated from the Greek word "σπαταλάω" (spataláō), which implies a life of self-indulgence and luxury. In the historical context of the early church, this would have been a warning against the hedonistic lifestyles prevalent in Roman society. The Apostle Paul is cautioning against prioritizing earthly pleasures over spiritual responsibilities. This serves as a timeless reminder for Christians to seek fulfillment in Christ rather than in transient worldly pleasures.

is dead
The term "dead" here is metaphorical, indicating spiritual death rather than physical. In the biblical context, spiritual death refers to a separation from God, the source of true life. This echoes the teachings of Jesus, who emphasized that true life is found in Him (John 10:10). The use of "dead" serves as a stark warning that a life focused on self-gratification leads to spiritual barrenness and alienation from God.

even while she is still alive
This phrase underscores the paradox of being physically alive yet spiritually dead. It highlights the urgency and seriousness of the spiritual condition Paul is addressing. The imagery suggests that despite the appearance of life, there is an absence of spiritual vitality and connection with God. This serves as a call to self-examination for believers, urging them to assess whether their lives reflect the life-giving relationship with Christ or if they are merely existing without true spiritual purpose.

(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.

Verse 6. - Giveth herself to for liveth in, A.V. Giveth herself to pleasure ( σπαταλῶσα); only here and James 5:5 (ἐσπαταλήσατε "taken your pleasure," R.V., "been wanton," A.V.) in the New Testament, but found (as well as σπατάλη and σπάταλος) in Ecclus. 21:15, and in Polybius (Liddell and Scott). Trench ('Synonyms of New Testament,' p. 191) compares and contrasts στρηνιάω τρυφάω, and σπαταλάω, and says that the latter includes the idea of prodigality. The word brings into the strongest possible contrast the widow who was like Anna, and those whom St. Paul here denounces. Is dead while she liveth; or, has died (is dead) in her lifetime. She is dead to God, and, as Alford suggests, is no longer a living member of the Church of Christ. Compare St. Jude's expression "twice dead" (ver. 12). The expression in Revelation 3:1 is different, unless ζῶσα here can have the same meaning as ὄνομα ἔχει ὅτι ζῇ, "though nominally alive as a Christian," etc.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

she who
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

lives for pleasure
σπαταλῶσα (spatalōsa)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4684: To live extravagantly, luxuriously; To be wanton. From spatale; to be voluptuous.

is dead
τέθνηκεν (tethnēken)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2348: To die, be dying, be dead. A strengthened form of a simpler primary thano than'-o; to die.

[even while she] is still alive.
ζῶσα (zōsa)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2198: To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.


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NT Letters: 1 Timothy 5:6 But she who gives herself to pleasure (1 Tim. 1Ti iTi 1tim i Tm)
1 Timothy 5:5
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