Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.
Parallel Translations
-
Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.
-
And also they learne to goo from housse to housse ydle ye not ydle only but also tryflynge and busybodyes speakynge thynges which are not comly.
-
And likewise also being idle they learne to goe about from house to house: yea, they are not onely ydle, but also pratlers and busibodies, speaking things which are not comely.
Cross-references (11)
Passages linked to 1 Timothy 5:13 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Proverbs 20:19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6-11 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us. For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you, neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you, not because we don’t have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.” For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies.
- Proverbs 31:27 She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
- Acts 20:30 Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
- Leviticus 19:16 “ ‘You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people. “ ‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am Yahweh.
- Luke 10:7 Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house.
- Acts 20:20 how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,
- Titus 1:11 whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.
- James 3:10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
- 1 Peter 4:15 For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men’s matters.
- 3 John 1:10 Therefore if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words. Not content with this, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and those who would, he forbids and throws out of the assembly.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 13 And not only so, but they grow idle…
13 And not only so, but they grow idle Nothing is more becoming in women than keeping the house; and hence, among the ancients, a tortoise was the image of a good and respectable mother of a family. But there are many who are diseased with the opposite vice. Nothing delights them more than the liberty of running from one place to another, and especially when, being freed from the burden of a family, they have nothing to do at home.
Tattlers and busybodies Besides, those widows, under the pretense of the respect due to the public character which they sustained, had more easy access to many persons. This opportunity, obtained through the kindness of the Church, they abused for purposes of “idleness;” and next, as usually happens, from slothfulness sprung curiosity, which is also the mother of talkativeness. Most true is the saying of Horace: “Shun an inquisitive person, for he is always a tattler.” “No trust should be placed,” as Plutarch says, “in inquisitive persons, for, as soon as they have heard anything, they are never at rest till they have blabbed it out.” This is especially the case with women, who, by nature, are prone to talkativeness, and cannot keep a secret. With good reason, therefore, has Paul joined together these three things, sloth, inquisitiveness, and tattling.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Another reason: because they are for the most part…
Another reason: because they are for the most part prattlers and busybodies, and gadders up and down, neglecting their charge and duty.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering…
13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Ver. 13. They learn to be idle] It is an art soon learned, by doing nothing to do naughtily. Nihil agendo male agere discunt, Idleness is the hour of temptation, and an idle person is the devil’s tennis ball, tossed by him at his pleasure.
Read full note →
Wandering about from house to house] As vagrants, or as pedlars opening their packs, and dropping here a tale and there a tale. A practice flatly forbidden by God, Lev 19:16; "Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale bearer." The Hebrew word signifieth a pedlar, רגל whence רגל for a foot. And another Hebrew word used for defaming or slandering, Psa 15:3, properly noteth a footing or trotting it up and down, prying and spying and carrying tales and rumours, 2Sa 19:27. The Greek word also αργεω, and the Latin word arguo, first signifies to be idle, and next to reprehend others. (Beckman de Origin. ling. Lat.) Because they that have little to do at home, will be overly busy abroad, in censuring and slandering others.
And not only idle] The firstborn of idleness is, to do nothing; the next issue that she hath is, to do evil. Otium negotium, Idleness is a kind of business.
But tattlers also] Gr. φλυαροι, triflers; Magno conatu magnas nugas agunt. The Rabbis have a proverb, "That ten kabs of speech descended into the world, and the women took away nine of them."
And busybodies] For "every fool will be meddling," Pro 20:3.
Speaking things, &c.] It is a very hard thing well to manage many words: εν πολυλογια πολυμωρια, In multiloquio stultiloquium.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The apostle here gives some other reasons, why he…
The apostle here gives some other reasons, why he would not have widows too young taken into the ministry of the church.
And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; they being young, and having no business at home, nor any husbands to conduct and govern them, are subject to be gadding up and down;
Read full note →
and not only idle, but tattlers also; and to be tattling idly and impertinently, and that not only of their own, but others’ concerns;
and busybodies, interesting themselves in the matters of other persons and families;
speaking things which they ought not, and in the multitude of words, folly being never wanting, they are prone to speak things which they ought not: from whence we may deserve, that nothing more becometh Christians than a gravity and composedness of behaviour and speech, a government of their tongues, and considering aforehand well what they speak.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 13. And withal they learn to be idle]…
Verse 13. And withal they learn to be idle] They do not love work, and they will not work.
Wandering about from house to house] Gadding, gossiping; never contented with home; always visiting.
Read full note →
And not only idle] If it went no farther, this would be intolerable; but they are tattlers-tale-bearers; whisperers; light, trifling persons; all noise and no work.
Busybodies] Persons who meddle with the concerns of others; who mind every one's business but their own.
Speaking things which they ought not.] Lies, slanders, calumnies; backbiting their neighbours, and everywhere sowing the seed of dissension.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain And withal - In addition to the prospect that…
And withal - In addition to the prospect that they may marry again, there are other disadvantages which might follow from such an arrangement, and other evils to be feared which it is desirable to avoid.
They learn to be idle - That is, if supported by the church, and if without the settled principles which might be expected in those more aged and experienced, it may be feared that they will give themselves up to an indolent life. There would be a security in the age and established habits of these more advanced in life, which there could not be in their case. The apostle does not mean that widows are naturally disposed to be idle, but that in the situation referred to there would be danger of it.
Read full note →
Wandering about from house to house - A natural consequence of supposing that they had nothing to do, and a practice not only profitless, but always attended with mischief.
Tattlers also - Literally, “overflowing;” then overflowing with talk; praters, triflers. They would learn all the news; become acquainted with the secrets of families, and of course indulge in much idle and improper conversation. Our word “gossipers” would accurately express the meaning here. The noun does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. The verb occurs in Joh 3:10; rendered, “prating against.”
And busy-bodies - see the notes on 2Th 3:11. The word means, probably, “working all round, overdoing,” and then “an intermeddler.” Persons who have nothing to do of their own, commonly find employment by interesting themselves in the affairs of their neighbors. No one likes to be wholly idle, and if anyone is not found doing what he ought to do, he will commonly be found engaged in doing what he ought not.
Speaking things which they ought not - Revealing the concerns of their neighbors; disclosing secrets; magnifying trifles, so as to exalt themselves into importance, as if they were entrusted with the secrets of others; inventing stories and tales of gossip, that they may magnify and maintain their own consequence in the community. No persons are commonly more dangerous to the peace of a neighborhood than those who have nothing to do.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Idle, &c. He shews by what steps they fall.…
Idle, &c. He shews by what steps they fall. Neglecting their prayers, they give themselves to idleness; they go about visiting from house to house; they are carried away with curiosity to hear what passes, and speak what they ought not of their neighbour’s faults. (Witham) --- The young widow that bears a resemblance with this portrait, is not less to be lamented on her own account than feared and shunned on account of others.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain withal--"at the same time, moreover."
withal--"at the same time, moreover."
learn--usually in a good sense. But these women's "learning" is idleness, trifling, and busybodies' tattle.
Read full note →
wandering--Greek, "going about."
from house to house--of the members of the Church (Ti2 3:6). "They carry the affairs of this house to that, and of that to this; they tell the affairs of all to all" [THEOPHYLACT].
tattlers--literally "trifling talkers." In Jo3 1:10, translated "prating."
busybodies--mischievously busy; inconsiderately curious (Th2 3:11). Act 19:19, "curious," the same Greek. Curiosity usually springs from idleness, which is itself the mother of garrulity [CALVIN].
speaking--not merely "saying." The subject-matter, as well as the form, is involved in the Greek word [ALFORD].
which they ought not-- (Tit 1:11).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 13. Withal—That is, additionally, or, at the same time.…
13. Withal—That is, additionally, or, at the same time. Wandering like gossips from house to house in order, as tattlers and meddlesome busy-bodies, to retail scandal.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 13. they learn to be idle] Insert ‘also’; R.V.…
13. they learn to be idle] Insert ‘also’; R.V. they learn also to be idle. The position of ‘idle’ and the stress in the next clause ‘not only idlers but’ point to this construction, making ‘idle’ predicate, though no infinitive ‘to be,’ ‘to become,’ is inserted. The rendering of Bp Wordsworth, Grimm and others, ‘Being idle they are learners running about from house to house,’ gives indeed ‘an oxymoron—a common figure of speech with St Paul.’ But the authority for ‘learn’ in so absolute a sense is very doubtful, since everywhere, e.g. in 1Ti_2:11. ‘let a woman learn in silence,’ and 2Ti_3:7, ‘always learning and never able to come to the full knowledge,’ there is much more in the context of connected phrase and subject.
wandering about from house to house] Lit. ‘the houses’ that made up the Christian settlement: so 2Ti_3:6, ‘they that creep into our houses.’ Compare 3Jn_1:14, ‘our friends salute thee.’
Read full note →
tattlers also and busybodies] The first word occurs again only as participle in 3Jn_1:10, ‘tattling of us with evil words.’ ‘Its derivation (connected with fluere) points to a babbling profluent way of talking.’ Bp Ellicott. ‘Busybodies,’ prying round into other people’s business; so 2Th_3:11, ‘not busy, but busybodies.’ Hence its use for ‘magical arts,’ Act_19:19. Contrast the epithet of the younger women, Tit_2:5 (best mss.) ‘busy at home,’ which is not found elsewhere.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (13) And withal they learn to be idle, wandering…
(13) And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house.—The first fervour of their devotion and renunciation of self will have cooled, their very occupation will become a snare to them—the going about to the various dwellings for the object of consoling, instructing, assisting, would give them, now that their minds were no longer exclusively turned to religious thoughts, and their hearts were no more alone filled by Jesus, many an opportunity of wasting precious hours, of indulging in frivolous, if not in harmful, conversation; and this the Apostle seems to have feared would be the result of these visits, and the fruit of their work, if the younger sisters were enrolled in the official list, for he speaks of such becoming “not only idle, but tattlers also and busy bodies, speaking things which they ought not.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Also to be for to be, A.V; going for…
Also to be for to be, A.V; going for wandering, A.V Also seems unnecessary, as "withal" seems to represent ama kai. Learn to be idle (ajrgainousin). This is a construction which has no similar passage in Greek to support it, except one very doubtful one in Plato, "Euthudemus" (vol. 4. p. 105, Bekker"s edit.). But the other constructions proposed, viz. to construe manqanousi, "they are inquisitive, or, curious," as Grotius and substantially Bengel; or to take periercomenai after manqanousi, "they learn to go about" (Vulgate, De Wette, etc.), cannot be justified by examples either, as manqanein has always either an accusative ease or an infinitive mood after it, unless it is used in quite a different sense, as in the passage from Herod., 3:1, quoted by Alford: Diabeblhmenov... ouj manqaneiv, "You are slandered without being aware of it." In this difficulty it is best to take the sense given in the A.V and the R.V, following Chrysostom, etc., and of moderns Winer, Ellicott, Alford, etc., which the general turn and balance of the sentence favors. Going about (periercomenai); comp. Act_23:1-3, where there is the same idea of reproach in the term. It is used in a good sense inaroi); Heb_11:37. Tattlers (flu) only here in the New Testament, and once only in the LXX, RAPC 4Ma 5:10) but common in classical Greek. It means "a trifling silly talker." The verb fluarew occurs in 3Jn_1:10. Busybodies (periergoi); only here and zesqai Act_19:19 in the New Testament or LXX, but not uncommon in classical Greek, in the sense in which it is used here. The verb perierga occurs in 2Th_3:11 in the same sense, "meddling with what does not concern you.
The busybody life.
Read full note →
withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not." Indolence is the parent of all sins, because, with evil so active in the world, some of its emissaries are sure to be wanting houseroom in our hearts.
I WE MAY LEARN TO BE IDLE. There is no life so undignified as that which is busy in trifles, which has learned to enjoy listless hours. For the wandering thought produces the wandering life. "Wandering about from house to house;" and, having nothing else to build with, too often build aerial structures of untruths and half-truths.
II NOT ONLY IDLE, BUT TATTLERS. The harm that has been worked in this world by busybodies cannot be over-estimated. It is easy to send an arrow into the air, but not to gather it up again. It is easy to poison the river of good reputation, but we cannot re-purify the stream. It is easy to pluck the flower of a good man"s fame, but we cannot restore its beauty. "Speaking things which they ought not." Holy few really make "I ought" govern their lives! Custom and convenience and pleasantness too often constrain our speech. People like to startle others, to give the shock of a new sensation, to amuse them, to please them. And, alas! it is too true that tattlers and busybodies know how to gratify those they visit. St. Paul thinks in this next verse (14) that marriage and care of children and housewifery are good things (which the ascetic Roman Church seems not to think), and that women so occupied give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. W.M.S.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 13. Withal, they learn to be idle. They have…
13. Withal, they learn to be idle. They have not that gravity which is required for this work of visitation and ministration laid upon the “widows indeed,” but wander from house to house to gossip.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 5:13 Too seldom do those who are fully supported…
5:13 Too seldom do those who are fully supported by the church invest their lives in remarkable piety (cp. 2:9-10; 5:10). Abusing the church’s support does not help them or the Good News (cp. 5:14). • talking about things they shouldn’t: The wording suggests involvement in the false teaching (5:15; cp. 2 Thes 3:11-13; Titus 1:11).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.