1 Timothy 6:9

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.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Paul writes to Timothy, a young pastor in Ephesus, correcting a congregation drawn toward materialism and false teaching.

The words — boulomenoi (βουλόμενοι, "desiring") is a present participle: the verse targets the ongoing want, not a one-time acquisition. Empiptousin (ἐμπίπτουσιν, "they fall") implies a sudden plunge, not a slow decline.

The thread — Proverbs 28:20 states the same trajectory in a single clause: one eager to be rich will not go unpunished. Proverbs 15:27 narrows the mechanism to greedy gain bringing household trouble.

Why it lands — The verse isolates the desire as the trigger, not the possession; it asks the reader to examine whether the want itself has already begun the fall.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Proverbs 15:27 He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household, but he who hates bribes will live.
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.
Acts 8:20 But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
1 Timothy 3:7 Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.
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.
2 Peter 2:3 In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.
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.
Ephesians 4:22 to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
James 5:1 Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.