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1 Tim 6 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21
OET (OET-LV) For/Because a_root of_all the evil is the fondness_of_silver, of_which some aspiring, have_wandered_away from the faith, and pierced themselves with_ many _sorrows.
OET (OET-RV) because that desire for wealth is the root of all evil. Some who aspired to becoming wealthy wandered away from faith in Yeshua and wounded themselves with many disappointments.
In this section Paul warned Timothy once more about the false teachers. He also told him that it was dangerous to want a lot of money. He told him that the false teachers were sinning in many ways, but that they were especially sinning by trying to use religion to get more money. He told believers to be content with what they had.
The paragraphs in this section are:
Paragraph 6:3–5: The false teachers taught things about Christ and his message that were incorrect. They discussed unimportant issues that caused arguments. They did not understand how to distinguish between what was true and what was false. They thought that teaching about God was merely an effective way to become rich.
Paragraph 6:6–10: People think that they need to be rich in order to be happy. But the truth is that a person is happy only when he obeys God.
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
For people who want money too much do all kinds of evil things to get it.
When a person desires lots of money, he will behave in many kinds of evil ways to get it.
For: The Greek word that the BSB translates as For indicates that 6:10 gives the reason for the statement in 6:9. In other words, it gives the reason that those who want to become rich incur the problems listed in 6:9.
Here, Paul used a proverb to give the reason for 6:9.Knight, page 257, reports that a “widely attested” ancient Greek proverb says “The love of money is the mother-city of all evil.” Paul modifies the proverb, but still keeps it in proverb form.
the love of money: In some languages, it is not possible to love an object like money. If this is true in your language, it may be possible to say something like “wanting money,” or “wanting to become rich.” Or it may be possible to use a word like “greed.” See the note on 3:3d.
the root of all kinds of evil: To say that “the love of money” is the root of all kinds of evil is a figure of speech. It means that it causes much evil. For example, when people want to become rich, they may easily become selfish. They may cheat, lie, steal, envy, or quarrel. They may hate people, hurt them, and even kill them.
It is not clear from the Greek grammar here whether the word that the BSB translates as the root should be translated as:
a root, that is, one source or cause of evil among many possible sources or causes. (NIV, GNT, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NCV, NLT)
“the root,” that is, the only source or cause of evil. (BSB, RSV, NJB, KJV, REB, NET, GW)
The Greek text is ambiguous. However, Paul was probably implying that there were other causes of evil as well as the love of money. So it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
all kinds of evil: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as all kinds of evil can be understood in two ways:
It means all sorts or kinds of evil. In other words, the love of money can result in different sorts of evil behavior. (BSB, NIV, GNT, NRSV, NASB, GW, NLT, CEV, NCV)
It means all evil. In other words, the love of money is the cause of every evil behavior. (RSV, NJB, KJV, REB, NET)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith
Some people have gradually stopped believing the teachings about Christ because they wanted money so much,
By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith: Paul knew that some people in Ephesus had wandered from the faith because they were eager for money. It is possible that he was referring to the false teachers. These teachers thought that godliness was a means to financial gain (6:5c). Paul may also have been referring to those who had been influenced by them.
wandered away from the faith: The form of the Greek verb that the BSB translates as wandered away from literally means “have been led astray.” Here Paul used the Greek verb figuratively, It refers to a person who has allowed money to hinder him from following Christian teaching. See the note on 1:6a and 6:21b.
the faith: When Paul referred to the faith, he was referring to the true teachings about God and about Christ. See the note on “the faith” in 3:9. See faith, meaning 2, in the Glossary.
and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
and they suffer in many ways, like a person who has stabbed himself.
and they have caused themselves to suffer in many ways.
and: This part of the verse gives the second thing that happens when people are “crave” money.
pierced themselves with many sorrows: Paul was using a figure of speech here to help the believers understand his point. People suffer physically if they pierce or stab themselves. In the same way, people who are eager for money often suffer terribly. For example, some people work so hard to become rich that they lose friends.
In some languages, it may be necessary to make the comparison explicit. For example, one way to do this is:
[they have] caused themselves to suffer as greatly as if they had pierced themselves with a weapon
If you have no suitable figure of speech in your language, you can translate only the meaning. For example, the NCV says:
they have caused themselves much sorrow
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
γὰρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ῥίζα Γάρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστίν ἡ φιλαργυρία ἧς τινές ὀρεγόμενοι ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπό τῆς πίστεως καί ἑαυτούς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς)
Here, the word For introduces a reason for what Paul stated in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a reason or basis for a statement, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: [Here is why:]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ῥίζα & πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία
˓a˒_root & ˱of˲_all ¬the evil (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ῥίζα Γάρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστίν ἡ φιλαργυρία ἧς τινές ὀρεγόμενοι ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπό τῆς πίστεως καί ἑαυτούς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς)
Paul speaks of evil as if it were a plant, and of the love of money as if it were the root from which that plant grew. He means that the love of money leads to all the evils. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in simile form or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the love of money is like a root of all the evils] or [the love of money leads to all the evils]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole
πάντων τῶν κακῶν
˱of˲_all ¬the evil
Paul says all here as an overstatement for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different way to express the emphasis. Alternate translation: [of many kinds of evils]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἡ φιλαργυρία
the fondness_of_silver
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [loving money]
Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns
ἧς & ὀρεγόμενοι
˱of˲_which & aspiring
The pronoun which refers to money. If this is not clear for your readers, you could refer to it more directly. Alternate translation: [and desiring money]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
ἧς τινες ὀρεγόμενοι, ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως, καὶ & περιέπειραν
˱of˲_which (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ῥίζα Γάρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστίν ἡ φιλαργυρία ἧς τινές ὀρεγόμενοι ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπό τῆς πίστεως καί ἑαυτούς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς)
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say what did the action, it is clear from the context that it was the desire for money. Alternate translation: [which desire has led some people away from the faith, and they have pierced] or [and when some people desired money, it led them away from the faith, and they have pierced]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως
˓have˒_wandered_away (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ῥίζα Γάρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστίν ἡ φιλαργυρία ἧς τινές ὀρεγόμενοι ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπό τῆς πίστεως καί ἑαυτούς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς)
Paul speaks of desiring money as if it were an evil guide that intentionally leads people down the wrong path. He means that desiring money causes people to stop having faith. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [have left the faith] or [have ceased to have faith]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ῥίζα Γάρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστίν ἡ φιλαργυρία ἧς τινές ὀρεγόμενοι ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπό τῆς πίστεως καί ἑαυτούς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς)
Here, the word faith could refer to: (1) the act of having faith in Jesus. Alternate translation: [from the faith that they had] (2) what people believe about Jesus when they have faith in him. Alternate translation: [from what Christians believe]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ῥίζα Γάρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστίν ἡ φιλαργυρία ἧς τινές ὀρεγόμενοι ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπό τῆς πίστεως καί ἑαυτούς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς)
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of faith, you could express the same idea in another way. Make sure that your translation fits with the option you chose in the previous note. Alternate translation: [from how they believed in Jesus]
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἑαυτοὺς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ῥίζα Γάρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστίν ἡ φιλαργυρία ἧς τινές ὀρεγόμενοι ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπό τῆς πίστεως καί ἑαυτούς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς)
Paul speaks about people who cause grief for themselves as if they were using a sword to stab themselves. He means that they are responsible for the many sorrows that they experience. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in simile form or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [have caused themselves many sorrows, as if they had stabbed themselves with swords] or [have caused themselves to have many sorrows]
Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ὀδύναις πολλαῖς
˱with˲_sorrows many
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of sorrows, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [by often making themselves sorrowful]
OET (OET-LV) For/Because a_root of_all the evil is the fondness_of_silver, of_which some aspiring, have_wandered_away from the faith, and pierced themselves with_ many _sorrows.
OET (OET-RV) because that desire for wealth is the root of all evil. Some who aspired to becoming wealthy wandered away from faith in Yeshua and wounded themselves with many disappointments.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.