• 1 Timothy 6:10
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 10 ῥίζα root γὰρ for πάντων of all τῶν the κακῶν bad (things) ἐστὶν is ἡ the φιλαργυρία, fondness of silver, ἧς of which τινὲς some ὀρεγόμενοι reaching out ἀπεπλανήθησαν were led off into error ἀπὸ from τῆς the πίστεως faith καὶ and ἑαυτοὺς themselves περιέπειραν they pierced around ὀδύναις to pains πολλαῖς. many.

  • 1 Timothy 6:10
    King James Version

    • 10 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 Study Notes—Chapter 6
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 6:10

      the love of money: By calling this love “a root of all sorts of injurious things,” Paul may be alluding to a proverbial saying that was well-known in his day. He does not condemn money itself, which has practical value in this world. (Ec 7:12; 10:19) It is the love of money that is dangerous. In verse 5, Paul shows that some false teachers were driven by the love of money, so it is no wonder that he earlier specified that an overseer should not be “a lover of money.” (1Ti 3:1, 3 and study note) The Scriptures reveal other dangers of this love. It can never be satisfied. (Ec 5:10) Worse, it is a love that competes with and displaces love for God. (Mt 6:24; see study note on Lu 16:9.) Thus, the love of money is a root, or a cause, of a wide array of “injurious things”; it leads to the “pains” that Paul mentions next in this verse.

      have stabbed themselves all over: Paul here uses a Greek verb that suggests piercing through completely as with repeated thrusts of a sharp weapon. His point is that Christians do themselves severe damage if they let the love of money become the driving force in their life. The result would be “many pains.”

      many pains: The Greek word for “pain” can refer to strong emotional, mental, and spiritual pain and distress, perhaps related to pangs of conscience. The love of money certainly brought “many pains” to Judas Iscariot. That love dominated him, driving him to such extremes as theft and even the betrayal of Jesus Christ. (Mt 26:14-16; Joh 12:6) Judas fell from being a faithful apostle to becoming “the son of destruction.”​—See study note on Joh 17:12.