Does the Bible say…
“Money is the root of all evil”
This is a paraphrase. The actual text reads differently.
The Bible says 'the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil' (1 Timothy 6:10). Two dropped words; one changed.
Full reference
The actual text 1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
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.
Full passage in context and origin
The actual verse
1 Timothy 6:10 (BSB):
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
The KJV (1769):
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.
What the paraphrase changes
The common phrase shortens the verse in three ways. It removes “the love of,” it changes “a root” to “the root,” and it removes “of all kinds of.” Each change shifts the meaning:
- “Money” vs. “love of money” — the verse names a disposition toward money, not money itself
- “the root” vs. “a root” — the verse names one root among many, not the single root
- “all evil” vs. “all kinds of evil” — the verse names the variety of evils that this disposition can produce, not all evil
The surrounding passage
The verse sits within 1 Timothy 6:6–10, where Paul writes about contentment, the danger of pursuing wealth, and the trouble that follows from craving money. The letter is addressed to Timothy, Paul’s younger associate, regarding teaching in the church at Ephesus.
Original language
The Greek of the verse is: ῥίζα γὰρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία. The word philargyria (φιλαργυρία) means literally “love of silver” and is rendered “love of money” in English translations. The construction rhiza … pantōn tōn kakōn lacks an article on rhiza, allowing the rendering “a root of all kinds of evil.” Translations differ on whether to render this “a root” or “the root.”
Original language note
Original language
The Greek phrase rendered 'a root' is ῥίζα (rhiza) without the definite article. Greek allows the indefinite reading; the BSB renders it 'a root' while the KJV renders it 'the root'. Translations differ in how they handle the article. The phrase 'love of money' translates the single Greek word φιλαργυρία (philargyria), literally 'love of silver'.