📖WEB · 1 Timothy 6:10
What does 1 Timothy 6:10 mean?
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
— 1 Timothy 6:10 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly can’t carry anything out.
But having food and clothing, we will be content with that.
But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
I command you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,
Explanation
1 Timothy 6:10 teaches that it is not money itself that is the problem, but the love of money — an inner attachment or devotion to wealth that displaces one's devotion to God. Paul states that this love of money is "a root" of all kinds of evil, meaning it is a common source from which many other sins and troubles spring, not necessarily the exclusive cause of every evil in the world. The verse goes on to describe a real consequence: some people, driven by greed, have wandered away from the Christian faith altogether and have brought upon themselves deep grief and suffering, as though piercing themselves with many wounds.
This letter was written by the apostle Paul to Timothy, a younger leader whom Paul had left in Ephesus to oversee the church there. Part of Paul's concern in this letter is false teachers who were using religion as a means of personal profit (1 Timothy 6:5 speaks of those who suppose that godliness is a way to gain). In this context, verse 10 serves as a warning against the temptation to measure spiritual life by material gain, and against letting ambition for wealth corrupt one's ministry or faith. The surrounding verses (6:6-10) contrast the "great gain" of godliness with contentment against the destructive pursuit of riches, and verse 9 warns that those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin.
Theologically, this verse underscores the biblical principle that the human heart's orientation — what it loves and trusts — determines spiritual direction. Wealth itself
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