1 Timothy 6:7 kjv
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1 Timothy 6:7 nkjv
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1 Timothy 6:7 niv
For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
1 Timothy 6:7 esv
for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.
1 Timothy 6:7 nlt
After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it.
1 Timothy 6 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Tim 6:6 | godliness with contentment is great gain. | Encourages contentment |
| 1 Tim 6:8 | if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. | Defines sufficiency and contentment |
| Matt 6:25 | Do not worry about your life... | Discourages anxiety and over-accumulation |
| Luke 12:15 | beware of any kind of greed, for one's life is not made secure by an abundance of possessions. | Warns against the deceptive nature of greed |
| Prov 27:20 | Hell and the grave are never full, so the eyes of man are never satisfied. | Illustrates insatiable desire |
| Eccl 5:10 | Whoever loves silver will never be satisfied with silver... | Speaks to the emptiness of wealth |
| Phil 4:11 | I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. | Example of contentment |
| Heb 13:5 | Keep your lives free from love of money and be content with what you have... | Command for contentment |
| 1 Tim 6:10 | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. | Explains the danger of covetousness |
| Mark 8:36 | What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? | Contrasts worldly gain with spiritual loss |
| John 6:27 | Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life. | Focuses on eternal vs. temporary value |
| Ps 49:16-17 | Do not be overawed when someone grows rich... For when they die, they will take nothing with them. | The impermanence of earthly wealth |
| Deut 8:18 | But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. | Acknowledges God as the source of provision |
| Prov 30:8 | Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but feed me with the food I need. | Prayer for sufficiency |
| 1 Cor 6:10 | neither thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slandered nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. | Excludes greedy from the kingdom |
| Gal 5:19-21 | The acts of the flesh are obvious: ...and hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like... | Greed often linked with other sinful practices |
| Col 3:5 | Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. | Identifies greed as idolatry |
| 1 Pet 5:2 | Be shepherds of God's flock... not pursuing dishonest gain, but willing to serve. | Warns against dishonest gain |
| Phil 2:3-4 | Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests alone, but each of you to the interests of the others. | Promotes selflessness over self-interest |
| 1 John 2:15 | Do not love the world or anything in the world. | Broad warning against worldly desires |
1 Timothy 6 verses
1 Timothy 6 7 Meaning
This verse teaches a foundational principle about contentment and sufficiency: nothing is gained through greed. The act of acquiring possessions beyond one's needs yields no true benefit. Instead, it highlights the futility of covetousness, as worldly gain without contentment leads to emptiness. The verse implies that a desire for more will never result in satisfaction.
1 Timothy 6 7 Context
First Timothy 6:7 is part of a broader section (1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19) that addresses issues within the early church, particularly the dangers of false teachings associated with an early form of Gnosticism and a corrupting pursuit of wealth. Paul is instructing Timothy on how to lead and correct the church in Ephesus. This specific verse serves as a principle underpinning the need for contentment, which is directly contrasted with the destructive pursuit of riches. The emphasis is on recognizing that life's true value is not derived from material possessions but from a godly disposition.
1 Timothy 6 7 Word Analysis
For (gar, γάρ): A conjunction indicating cause or explanation. It connects the preceding statement (likely the idea of gain through godliness) to this explanation.
We (hemes, ἡμεῖς): Plural pronoun, referring to believers generally, or to Paul and Timothy as leaders.
Have brought nothing (oudon - out of Nothing, nothing) (eisomexamen, εἰσομίξαμεν): From eisomizō (εἰσομίζω), meaning "to carry in," "to bring in," or "to import." The strong sense here is that of bringing nothing into existence, or literally carrying nothing into a new place, implying absolute lack of prior possession.
Into (eis, εἰς): A preposition indicating motion towards a destination or into something.
The world (ton kosmon, τὸν κόσμον): From kosmos (κόσμος), meaning "world," "universe," or "order." It refers to the earthly realm and its material system, often contrasted with the spiritual.
The world (kosmon, κόσμον): Used here as the destination of what is brought in, or the place from which nothing can be brought out.
Nor (mede, μηδὲ): A negative conjunction, meaning "and not," or "nor." It continues the negation.
Shall we (exenexontai, ἐξενέγκωμεν): Future indicative of exanerchomai (ἐξανέρχομαι), meaning "to carry out," "to take out," or "to remove." It implies taking something out from a place.
Words Group Analysis:
- "brought nothing into the world": This phrase establishes a fundamental human condition at birth – absolute nakedness and emptiness in relation to material possessions.
- "nor shall we take anything out": This reinforces the finality of life's physical end. All material acquisitions are left behind at death, making their ultimate accumulation a pointless endeavor from a heavenly perspective.
1 Timothy 6 7 Bonus Section
The concept presented here aligns with Stoic philosophy's emphasis on detachment from material things, but Paul anchors it not in human reason or self-sufficiency, but in the eternal perspective of a believer. The emphasis on "nothing" being brought in or taken out is a powerful reminder of human mortality and the transient nature of worldly wealth. This truth is crucial for fostering a mindset of stewardship rather than ownership, and for recognizing that one's true value and security lie not in possessions, but in one's relationship with God.
1 Timothy 6 7 Commentary
This verse succinctly states that humans enter the world with absolutely nothing and leave it the same way concerning material possessions. This fundamental reality undermines the pursuit of wealth for its own sake, as it cannot be carried beyond death. The pursuit of wealth, when divorced from contentment and godliness, is therefore shown to be ultimately futile and spiritually detrimental, offering no lasting gain. True gain lies in spiritual riches and a satisfied heart.