1 Timothy 6:10
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Berean Literal Bible
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils, which some, stretching after, have been seduced away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many sorrows.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

NASB 1995
For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

NASB 1977
For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.

Legacy Standard Bible
For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils, and some by aspiring to it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Amplified Bible
For the love of money [that is, the greedy desire for it and the willingness to gain it unethically] is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves [through and through] with many sorrows.

Christian Standard Bible
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

American Standard Version
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Contemporary English Version
The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.

English Revised Version
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Certainly, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people who have set their hearts on getting rich have wandered away from the Christian faith and have caused themselves a lot of grief.

Good News Translation
For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.

International Standard Version
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.

Majority Standard Bible
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

NET Bible
For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.

New Heart English Bible
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.

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

Weymouth New Testament
For from love of money all sorts of evils arise; and some have so hankered after money as to be led astray from the faith and be pierced through with countless sorrows.

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for the love of money is a root of all the evils, which certain [ones] longing for went astray from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows;

Berean Literal Bible
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils, which some, stretching after, have been seduced away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Young's Literal Translation
for a root of all the evils is the love of money, which certain longing for did go astray from the faith, and themselves did pierce through with many sorrows;

Smith's Literal Translation
For the root of all evils is the love of money: which some striving for, have been led astray from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many pains.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the faith, and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For desire is the root of all evils. Some persons, hungering in this way, have strayed from the faith and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.

New American Bible
For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.

New Revised Standard Version
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For the love of money is the root of all evil: and there are some men who have coveted it and have thereby erred from the faith, they have brought to themselves many sorrows.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But the root of all these evils is the love of money, and there are some who have desired it and have erred from the faith and have brought themselves many miseries.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For the love of money is the root of all evil; through the desire of which, some have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Godbey New Testament
For the love of money is a root of all evils: which some seeking after have wandered from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Haweis New Testament
For the love of money is the root of all evils, which some coveting, have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Mace New Testament
which some having obtain'd, have revolted from the faith, and brought upon themselves variety of piercing pains.

Weymouth New Testament
For from love of money all sorts of evils arise; and some have so hankered after money as to be led astray from the faith and be pierced through with countless sorrows.

Worrell New Testament
For the love of money is a root of all the evils; which some reaching after wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Worsley New Testament
For the love of money is the root of all evils, which some coveting after have been led astray from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Contentment in Godliness
9Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 11But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.…

Cross References
Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

Proverbs 15:27
He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household, but he who hates bribes will live.

Ecclesiastes 5:10
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

Luke 12:15
And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Mark 4:19
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

James 4:1-3
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? / You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. / And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.

Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

Matthew 13:22
The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Luke 16:13-14
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” / The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.

Proverbs 11:28
He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.

2 Timothy 3:2
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

James 5:1-3
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days.

Ezekiel 7:19
They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.

Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

the love.

Genesis 34:23,24
Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us…

Genesis 38:16
And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?

Exodus 23:7,8
Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked…

coveted.

1 Timothy 6:21
Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:10
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Jude 1:11
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

erred.

Genesis 29:14,26,31
And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month…

2 Kings 5:27
The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Psalm 32:10
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

Jump to Previous
Arise Astray Countless Coveted Craving Erred Evil Evils Faith Fixed Greed Griefs Kinds Love Money Pierce Pierced Root Sorrows Sorts Themselves Turned Unnumbered Wandered Wounded
Jump to Next
Arise Astray Countless Coveted Craving Erred Evil Evils Faith Fixed Greed Griefs Kinds Love Money Pierce Pierced Root Sorrows Sorts Themselves Turned Unnumbered Wandered Wounded
1 Timothy 6
1. Of the duty of servants.
3. Not to have fellowship with newfangled teachers.
6. Godliness is great gain;
10. and love of money the root of all evil.
11. What Timothy is to flee, and what to follow.
17. and whereof to admonish the rich.
20. To keep the purity of true doctrine, and to avoid godless ideas.














For the love of money
This phrase is translated from the Greek "φιλαργυρία" (philargyria), which combines "philos" (love) and "argyros" (silver or money). The emphasis here is not on money itself, but on the excessive desire or affection for it. In a conservative Christian perspective, this love is seen as idolatrous, placing material wealth above spiritual values. Historically, this warning reflects the socio-economic context of the early church, where wealth could easily become a stumbling block to faithfulness and community harmony. The love of money distracts believers from their true purpose and calling, leading them away from God.

is the root
The Greek word "ῥίζα" (rhiza) is used here, meaning "root." This metaphor suggests that the love of money is a foundational cause or source from which various evils grow. In a spiritual sense, just as a root nourishes and sustains a plant, the love of money can nourish and sustain sinful behaviors and attitudes. The imagery of a root also implies something hidden and deep-seated, often unnoticed until it bears fruit. This serves as a caution to believers to examine their hearts and uproot any unhealthy desires before they manifest in destructive ways.

of all kinds of evil
The phrase "πάντων τῶν κακῶν" (panton ton kakon) translates to "all kinds of evil." It indicates a wide array of sinful actions and attitudes that can stem from the love of money. This does not mean that every evil act is directly caused by the love of money, but rather that it is a common source of many different types of sin. Historically, the pursuit of wealth has led to greed, corruption, exploitation, and injustice, all of which are contrary to the teachings of Christ. In a conservative Christian view, this serves as a reminder to prioritize spiritual riches over earthly ones, aligning one's life with God's will and purpose.

(10) For the love of money is the root of all evil.--Some would water down this strong expression by translating the Greek words by "a root of all evil," instead of "the root," making this alteration on the ground of the article not being prefixed to the Greek word rendered "root." This change, however, grammatically is unnecessary, as the article disappears before the predicate, in accordance with the well-known rule respecting subject and predicate.

St. Paul had just written (1Timothy 6:9) of men being plunged into destruction and perdition--the awful consequence of yielding to those lusts into which the fatal love of riches had guided them; he now sums up the teaching contained in these words by pithily remarking. "Yes, for the love of money is the root of all evil," meaning thereby, not that every evil necessarily must come from "love of money," but that there is no conceivable evil which can happen to the sons and daughters of men which may not spring from covetousness--a love of gold and wealth.

Which while some coveted after.--There is a slight irregularity in the image here, but the sense of the expression is perfectly clear. It is, of course, not the "love of money," strictly speaking, which "some have coveted after," but the money itself. The thought in the writer's mind probably was--The man coveting gold longs for opportunities in which his covetousness (love of money) may find a field for exercise. Such inaccuracies in language are not uncommon in St. Paul's writings, as, for instance, Romans 8:24, where he writes of "hope that is seen."

They have erred from the faith.--Better rendered, they have wandered away from the faith. This vivid picture of some who had, for sake of a little gold, given up their first love--their faith--was evidently drawn by St. Paul from life. There were some in that well-known congregation at Ephesus, once faithful, now wanderers from the flock, over whom St. Paul mourned.

And pierced themselves through with many sorrows.--The language and the thoughts of Psalm 16:4 were in St. Paul's mind when he wrote these words--"Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another (god)." The "many sorrows" here are, no doubt, the "gnawings of conscience," which must ever and anon harass and perplex the man or woman who, for covetousness' sake, has deserted the old paths, and has wandered away from the old loved communion of Christ.

The imagery used in this tenth verse seems to be that of a man who wanders from the straight, direct path of life, to gather some poisonous, fair-seeming root growing at a distance from the right road on which he was travelling. He wanders away and plucks it; and now that he has it in his hands he finds himself pierced and wounded with its unsuspected thorns. . . .

Verse 10. - A root for the root, A.V.; all kinds of for all, A.V.; some reaching after for while some coveted after, A.V.; have been led astray for they have erred, A.V.; have pierced for pierced, A.V. Love of money (φιλαργυρία); only here in the New Testament, but found in the LXX. and in classical Greek. The substantive φιλάργυρος is found in Luke 16:14 and 2 Timothy 3:2. A root. The root is better English. Moreover, the following πάντων τῶν κακῶν (not πόλλων κακῶν) necessitates the giving a definite sense to ῤίζα, though it has not the article; and Alford shows dearly that a word like ῤίζα, especially when placed as here in an emphatic position, does not require it (comp. 1 Corinthians 11:3, where in the second and third clause κεφαλή, being in the emphatic place, has not the article). Alford also quotes a striking passage from Diog. Laert., in which he mentions a saying of the philosopher Diogenes that "the love of money ( φιλαργυρία) is the metropolis, or home, πάντων τῶν κακῶν." Reaching after (ὀρεγόμενοι). It has been justly remarked that the phrase is slightly inaccurate. What some reach after is not "the love of money," but the money itself. To avoid this, Hofmann (quoted by Luther) makes ῤίζα the antecedent to η΅ς, and the metaphor to be of a person turning out of his path to grasp a plant which turns out to he not desirable, but a root of bitterness. This is ingenious, but hardly to be accepted as the true interpretation. Pierced themselves through (περιέπειραν); only here in the New Testament, and rare in classical Greek. But the simple verb πείρω, to "pierce through," "transfix," applied 'especially to "spitting" meat, is very common in Homer, who also applies it metaphorically exactly as St. Paul does here, to grief or pain. Ὀδύνησι πεπαρμένος, "pierced with pain" ('Il.,' 5:399).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

love of money
φιλαργυρία (philargyria)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5365: Love of money, avarice, covetousness. From philarguros; avarice.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

[the] root
ῥίζα (rhiza)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4491: A root, shoot, source; that which comes from the root, a descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'root'.

of all kinds
πάντων (pantōn)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

of evil.
κακῶν (kakōn)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 2556: Bad, evil, in the widest sense. Apparently a primary word; worthless, i.e. depraved, or injurious.

By craving
ὀρεγόμενοι (oregomenoi)
Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3713: To stretch forth, mid: To hanker after, long for, be eager for, aspire to.

[it],
ἧς (hēs)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

some
τινες (tines)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

have wandered
ἀπεπλανήθησαν (apeplanēthēsan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 635: To cause to go astray; pass: To be led astray. From apo and planao; to lead astray; passively, to stray.

away from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

faith
πίστεως (pisteōs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

pierced
περιέπειραν (periepeiran)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4044: To put on a spit; met: I pierce, wound deeply. From peri and the base of peran; to penetrate entirely, i.e. Transfix.

themselves
ἑαυτοὺς (heautous)
Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself.

with many
πολλαῖς (pollais)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

sorrows.
ὀδύναις (odynais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3601: Pain, sorrow, distress, of body or mind. From duno; grief.


Links
1 Timothy 6:10 NIV
1 Timothy 6:10 NLT
1 Timothy 6:10 ESV
1 Timothy 6:10 NASB
1 Timothy 6:10 KJV

1 Timothy 6:10 BibleApps.com
1 Timothy 6:10 Biblia Paralela
1 Timothy 6:10 Chinese Bible
1 Timothy 6:10 French Bible
1 Timothy 6:10 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money (1 Tim. 1Ti iTi 1tim i Tm)
1 Timothy 6:9
Top of Page
Top of Page