5:9 a widow be enrolled. Some have seen here an official order of widows with duties to perform (vv. 5, 10); others have seen an agreement whereby some widows provide certain services for the church in exchange for material support. More likely the list is simply of widows who are to receive support from the church (v. 16). This list constitutes a portion of the larger group of widows dealt with in vv. 3–5.

less than sixty years of age. A round number reflecting the expectation in that culture of the age under which remarriage would still be possible (cf. vv. 11–14).

the wife of one husband. See note 3:2.