1 Timothy 6 10

1 Timothy 6:10 kjv

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:10 nkjv

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:10 niv

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Timothy 6:10 esv

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

1 Timothy 6:10 nlt

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6 verses

1 Timothy 6 10 meaning

The verse warns that the intense desire for wealth (love of money) is a primary source from which all sorts of wrongdoing spring. It highlights that certain individuals, driven by an excessive eagerness to acquire riches, have deviated from their core Christian belief and spiritual path, resulting in severe self-inflicted sorrow and profound emotional or spiritual wounds.

1 Timothy 6 10 Context

This verse is found within Paul's first letter to Timothy, providing pastoral guidance for the young leader overseeing the church in Ephesus. The broader chapter, 1 Timothy 6, serves as a strong warning against false teaching and worldliness. Paul earlier addresses those who wrongly believe that godliness is a means of financial gain (v. 5) and extols the virtue of contentment (vv. 6-8). Immediately before verse 10, Paul explicitly warns against the desire to be rich, stating that those who desire riches fall into temptation, a snare, and many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition (v. 9). Thus, 1 Timothy 6:10 provides the central explanation for why the desire for riches is so perilous, setting the stage for Paul's subsequent call for Timothy to flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness (vv. 11-12). The historical context of Ephesus, a wealthy commercial center, made such warnings against materialism particularly pertinent to the church there.

1 Timothy 6 10 Word analysis

• For: (Greek: gar - γὰρ) Introduces the reason or explanation for the preceding statement in verse 9 (that the desire to be rich leads to destruction). It clarifies why such desire is dangerous.
• the love of money: (Greek: hē philargyria - ἡ φιλαργυρία) This is a compound word formed from philos (loving, fond of) and argyros (silver, money). It does not mean money itself is evil, but rather an inordinate affection, greedy attachment, or passion for acquiring and hoarding money. This is the heart attitude.
• is: (Greek: estin - ἐστιν) Simple present tense, indicating a timeless truth.
• a root: (Greek: rhiza - ῥίζα) Significance lies in the use of the indefinite article. It is "a root," not "the root," implying it is one fundamental source among others, not the sole cause of all evil. Other roots exist (e.g., pride, self-will), but the love of money is a profound and pervasive one.
• of all kinds of evil: (Greek: pantōn tōn kakōn - πάντων τῶν κακῶν) This refers to evil in its various forms and manifestations. The love of money can lead to numerous sins, including lying, stealing, fraud, murder, injustice, betrayal, spiritual compromise, and more. It affects relationships with God, others, and oneself.
• for which some people: (Greek: hēs tines - ἧς τινες) "Which" refers back to "the love of money." "Some people" indicates this is a specific, tragic outcome experienced by certain individuals, not an inevitable fate for all who encounter money.
• eager for money: (Greek: oregomenoi - ὀρεγόμενοι) Describes an intense, reaching, stretching out for something, a strong and often covetous desire or striving after money. It implies an active pursuit fueled by greed.
• have wandered: (Greek: apeplanēthēsan - ἀπεπλανήθησαν) A strong verb meaning "to go astray," "to be led off," or "to deviate significantly." It is in the aorist passive, emphasizing the result: they were caused to wander, or they definitively wandered. The prefix apo- signifies "away from."
• from the faith: (Greek: apo tēs pisteōs - ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως) Refers not just to belief, but to the entire body of Christian truth, doctrine, and loyal trust in Christ. To wander "from the faith" means to apostatize or to seriously compromise one's commitment and devotion to Christian principles and life.
• and pierced themselves: (Greek: kai heautous periepeiran - καὶ ἑαυτοὺς περιέπειραν) This is a vivid and forceful metaphor. Periepeiran means to "run through" or "impale all around." The reflexive pronoun heautous ("themselves") highlights that this suffering is self-inflicted; their own actions (eagerness for money) brought this upon them. It depicts a deep, painful, and often irreparable wound.
• with many griefs: (Greek: odynais pollaiis - ὀδύναις πολλαῖς) Refers to intense sorrow, anguish, pain, distress, or pangs. The plural "many" signifies a multitude and variety of agonizing experiences, emotional, mental, and spiritual consequences. These griefs are the bitter fruit of their covetousness.

1 Timothy 6 10 Bonus section

• The phrase "a root of all kinds of evil" avoids theological implications that other sins like pride or rebellion against God are less significant. It indicates that the love of money is a particularly potent catalyst, often driving and intertwining with numerous other vices.
• In ancient Jewish thought and early Christian teaching, material wealth was not inherently seen as evil. However, excessive desire for it was consistently linked with idolatry, as it displaced God from the center of one's life. The warning resonates deeply with Old Testament prophets who condemned injustice and exploitation often driven by greed.
• The dramatic imagery of "pierced themselves" (περιέπειραν) signifies not merely incidental suffering but an act of self-harm. It paints a picture of being impaled on one's own desires, showing the intrinsic punitive consequence of such an idolatrous pursuit.
• This verse doesn't call for absolute poverty, but for contentment and proper stewardship. It contrasts directly with prosperity gospels which often suggest wealth is a sign of divine favor, portraying greed as a pathway to destruction.
• The counsel here is deeply practical, urging self-reflection on motives for seeking financial gain. It sets a boundary for Christian living: God's people must not allow the pursuit or possession of money to usurp their primary devotion to Him or corrupt their integrity.

1 Timothy 6 10 Commentary

This concise verse provides a profound insight into the human heart and its potential for spiritual derailment. It isn't a condemnation of money itself, which can be a tool for good, but a potent warning against the inordinate love or obsessive pursuit of it. This desire functions as a primary, foundational source from which a wide spectrum of sinful actions and attitudes sprout. When individuals fixate on accumulating wealth, it creates an allegiance that competes with and ultimately undermines devotion to God. The immediate consequence highlighted is a "wandering from the faith"—a deviation not merely in intellectual belief, but in practical life and spiritual commitment, a loss of focus on eternal truths for temporal gain. This straying, born from an insatiable desire, results in a devastating outcome: self-inflicted wounds of "many griefs." These are not external punishments, but internal pangs of regret, anxiety, dissatisfaction, guilt, and lost fellowship with God, demonstrating that the pursuit of earthly treasure at the expense of spiritual health inevitably brings deep personal suffering. This passage urges believers to examine their heart's true affections, recognizing that misplaced priorities lead to spiritual shipwreck and profound sorrow. For instance, prioritizing a high-paying but unethical job over integrity or family time due to greed, can lead to loss of peace, broken relationships, and moral compromise, piercing one's own soul.