1 Timothy 6 · Verse 9

1 Timothy 6:9

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

1 Timothy 6:9, King James Version

1 Timothy 6:9 in other translations

BSB	Those 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.
WEB	But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation, a snare, and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.
ASV	But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition.
YLT	and those wishing to be rich, do fall into temptation and a snare, and many desires, foolish and hurtful, that sink men into ruin and destruction,
DARBY	But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many unwise and hurtful lusts, which plunge men into destruction and ruin.
BBE	But those who have a desire for wealth are falling into danger, and are taken as in a net by a number of foolish and damaging desires, through which men are overtaken by death and destruction.
Webster	But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

What does 1 Timothy 6:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

9. will be rich--have more than "food and raiment." Greek, "wish to be rich"; not merely are willing, but are resolved, and earnestly desire to have riches at any cost (Pr 28:20, 22). This wishing (not the riches themselves) is fatal to "contentment" (1Ti 6:6). Rich men are not told to cast away their riches, but not to "trust" in them, and to "do good" with them (1Ti 6:17, 18; Psa 62:10). fall into temptation--not merely "are exposed to temptation," but actually "fall into" it. The falling into it is what we are to pray against, "Lead us not into temptation" (Jas 1:14); such a one is already in a sinful state, even before any overt act of sin. The Greek for "temptation" and "gain" contains a play on sounds--porasmus, peirasmus. snare--a further step downwards (1Ti 3:7). He falls into "the snare of the devil." foolish--irrational. hurtful--to those who fall into the snare. Compare Ep 4:22, "deceitful lusts" which deceive to one's deadly hurt. lusts--With the one evil lust ("wish to be rich") many others join themselves: the one is the "root of all evils" (1Ti 6:10). which--Greek, "whatever (lusts)." drown--an awful descending climax from "fall into"; this is the last step in the terrible descent (Jas 1:15); translated "sink," Lu 5:7. destruction ... perdition--destruction in general (temporal or eternal), and perdition in particular, namely, that of body and soul in hell.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 9. But they that will be rich. Further to enforce the duty of contentment, the apostle refers to some of the evils which necessarily attend a desire to be rich. Those evils have been so great and uniform in all ages, and are so necessary accompaniments of that desire, that, even amidst many inconveniences which may attend the opposite condition, we should be contented with our lot. Indeed, if we could see all, it would only be necessary to see the evils which the desire of wealth produces in the world, to make us contented with a most lowly condition of life. Perhaps nothing more would be necessary to make a poor man satisfied with his lot, and grateful for it, than to be acquainted with the perplexities and cares of a rich man. There is more emphasis to be placed on the word will, here, in the phrase "will be rich," than might be supposed from our translation. It is not the sign of the future tense, but implies an actual purpose or design to become rich-- οιβουλομενοι. The reference is to those in whom this becomes the object of earnest desire, and who lay their plans for it.

Fall into temptation. That is, they are tempted to do wicked things in order to accomplish their purposes. It is extremely difficult to cherish the desire to be rich, as the leading purpose of the soul, and to be all honest man.

And a snare. Birds are taken in a snare, and wild beasts were formerly. Job 18:8, Job 18:9. The net was sprung suddenly upon them, and they could not escape. The idea here is, that they who have this desire, become so entangled, that they cannot easily escape. They become involved in the meshes of worldliness and sin; their movements are so lettered by cares, and inordinate desires, and by artificial wants, that they are no longer freemen. They become so involved in these things, that they cannot well break away from them if they would. Comp. Prov 28:20.

And into many foolish and hurtful lusts. Desires, such as the love of wealth creates. They are foolish--as being not such as an intelligent and immortal being should pursue; and they are hurtful--as being injurious to morals, to health, and to the soul. Among those desires, are the fondness for display; for a magnificent dwelling, a train of menials, and a splendid equipage; for sumptuous living, feasting, the social glass, company, and riotous dissipation.

Which drown men in destruction and perdition. The word which is here rendered, drown βυθιζω means, to sink in the deep, or, to cause to sink; and the meaning here is, that they become submerged as a ship that sinks. The idea of drowning is not properly that of the apostle, but the image is that of a wreck, where a ship and all that is in it, go down together. The destruction is complete. There is a total ruin of happiness, of virtue, of reputation, and of the soul. The ruling desire to be rich leads on a train of follies which ruins everything here, and hereafter. How many of the human family have thus been destroyed!

(a) "will be rich" Prov 28:20 (*) "lusts" "been seduced"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 9 But they that will be rich - Οἱ δε βουλομενοι πλουτειν. The words are emphatic, and refer to persons who are determined to get riches; who make this their object and aim in life; who live to get money; who get all they can, save all they can, and keep all they get; and yet are apprehensive of no danger, because they seek to be rich by honest means; for it is likely that the apostle does not refer to those who wish to get riches by robbery, plunder, extortion, etc. By the term rich it is very likely that the apostle refers to what he had said above: Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. He that has more than these is rich in the sense in which the apostle uses the term. Fall into temptation and a snare - Του διαβολου, Of the devil, is added by D*FG, Vulgate, Itala, and many of the fathers. It is in consequence of the temptation of the devil that they have determined to be rich; this temptation once received, others quickly succeed: and when they have swallowed down the temptation to the thing, then they drink in a thousand temptations to the means; and all these lead them εις παγιδα, into an unforeseen and concealed trap. Παγις signifies a net, trap, gin, snare, spring, or pit dug in the ground filled with sharp stakes, and slightly covered over; so that when a man, or any animal, steps upon it, he tumbles in, and is taken or destroyed. Such a snare is that into which those who will be rich must necessarily fall. But who will believe this? See on 1Tim 6:10 (note) And into many foolish and hurtful lusts - The whole conduct of such a person is a tissue of folly; scraping, gathering, and heaping up riches, and scarcely affording to take the necessaries of life out of them for himself. These lusts or desires are not only foolish, but they are hurtful; the mind is debased and narrowed by them; benevolent and generous feelings become extinct; charity perishes; and selfishness, the last and lowest principle in mental degradation, absorbs the soul; for these foolish and hurtful lusts drown men in destruction and perdition - the soul is destroyed by them here, and brought through them into a state of perdition hereafter. The apostle considers these persons like mariners in a storm; by the concurrence of winds, waves, and tide, they are violently driven among the rocks, the vessel is dashed to pieces, and in a moment they are all ingulfed in the great deep! Such is the lot and unavoidable catastrophe of them that will be rich, even though they should strive to accomplish their desires by means the most rigidly honest. In this place I beg leave to refer the reader to a sermon on this text by the late Rev. John Wesley, in which the whole of this subject is treated by the hand of a master; and, for usefulness, the sermon is superior to every thing of the kind ever published. It is entitled, The Danger of Riches; and is found in his Works, Vol. 2, page 248, American edit.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Those that make a trade of Christianity to serve their turn for this world, will be disappointed; but those who mind it as their calling, will find it has the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come. He that is godly, is sure to be happy in another world; and if contented with his condition in this world, he has enough; and all truly godly people are content. When brought into the…

Read the full comment on 1 Timothy 6:6-10 →

1 Timothy 6:9 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΟἱHoiThoseG3588

δὲdehoweverG1161

βουλόμενοιboulomenoidesiringG1014

πλουτεῖνplouteinto be richG4147

ἐμπίπτουσινempiptousinthey fallG1706

εἰςeisintoG1519

πειρασμὸνpeirasmontemptationG3986

καὶkaiandG2532

παγίδαpagidaa snareG3803

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐπιθυμίαςepithumiasdesiresG1939

πολλὰςpollasmanyG4183

ἀνοήτουςanoētousfoolishG453

καὶkaiandG2532

βλαβεράς,blaberasharmful,G983

αἵτινεςaitineswhichG3748

βυθίζουσινbuthizousinplungeG1036

τοὺςtous<the>G3588

ἀνθρώπουςanthrōpousmenG444

εἰςeisintoG1519

ὄλεθρονolethronruinG3639

καὶkaiandG2532

ἀπώλειαν.apōleiandestruction.G684

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Timothy 6:9

1 John 2:15-17
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Proverbs 15:27
He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.
Proverbs 28:20-22
A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress. He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
Acts 8:20
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
1 Timothy 3:7
Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
2 Peter 2:3
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Mark 4:19
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Ephesians 4:22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Matthew 13:22
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
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.
James 5:1-4
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
Proverbs 22:16
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

they.
Ge 13:10-13; Nu 22:17-19; Jos 7:11; 2Ki 5:20-27; Pr 15:27; 20:21
Pr 21:6; 22:16; 28:20-22; Isa 5:8; Ho 12:7,8; Am 8:4-6; Zec 11:5
Mt 13:22; 19:22; 26:15; Jas 5:1-4; 2Pe 2:15,16; Jude 1:11
snare.
3:7; De 7:25; Ps 11:6; Pr 1:17-19; Lu 21:35; 2Ti 2:26
many.
Mr 4:19; Eph 4:22; 1Jo 2:15-17
which.
1:9; Nu 31:8; Jos 7:24-26; Mt 27:3-5; Ac 5:4,5; 8:20; 2Pe 2:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 Timothy 6:8
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1 Timothy 6:9
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1 Timothy 6:10
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.

Read all of 1 Timothy 6

1 Timothy 6:9 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque los que quieren enriquecerse, caen en tentación y lazo, y en muchas codicias locas y dañosas, que hunden á los hombres en perdición y muerte.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or ceux qui veulent devenir riches tombent dans la tentation et dans un piège, et dans plusieurs désirs insensés et pernicieux qui plongent les hommes dans la ruine et la perdition;
German Elberfelder 1871	Die aber reich werden wollen, fallen in Versuchung und Fallstrick und in viele unvernünftige und schädliche Lüste, welche die Menschen versenken in Verderben und Untergang.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Nam qui volunt divites fieri, incidunt in tentationem, et in laqueum diaboli, et desideria multa inutilia, et nociva, quæ mergunt homines in interitum et perditionem.