1 Timothy 6:18

1 Timothy 6:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
• New International Version (NIV)Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,

Context of 1 Timothy 6:18

16God alone lives for ever. He lives in very bright light that nobody can come near. Nobody has ever seen God. Nobody is able to see him. So we praise him! He will rule for ever with great authority! Amen! This is true. 17Warn those people who are rich with many things that belong to this world. Tell them not to think that they are more important than other people. They must not think that their money will keep them safe. They could easily lose all of it. Instead, they should trust God. He gives us many things, so that we can enjoy all of them. Tell those rich people to do many good things to help other people. They should be very kind to other people and share their things with them. 19In that way they will store valuable things for themselves in heaven. These things will be a strong help for them in the future. As a result, they will have true life with God. 20Timothy, God has given you his true message to tell people. You must keep that message safe. Do not listen to people who say a lot of silly things that are not important to God. Those people think that they have special knowledge. But their ideas are against God's true message.

1 Timothy 6:18 word by word

ἀγαθοεργεῖν, πλουτεῖν ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς, εὐμεταδότους εἶναι, κοινωνικούς,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·εἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• That they do goodἀγαθοεργέωagathoergeō · to do goodG14
• that they be richπλουτέωplouteō · be richG4147
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• ready to distributeεὐμετάδοτοςeumetadotos · generousG2130
• willing to communicateκοινωνικόςkoinōnikos · generousG2843

Cross-references for 1 Timothy 6:18

• 2 Chronicles 24:16They buried him beside the kings in the City of David. They gave him that honour, because he had done many good things in Israel for God and for the temple.
• Psalms 37:3Trust in the Lord and do good things. Then you will live safely in the land.
• Ecclesiastes 3:12So I realized that people should be happy. They should enjoy good things as long as they live. There is nothing better for people to do than that.
• Luke 6:33Do you only do good things to people that do good things to you? God will not praise you just for doing that! Even bad people do the same thing.
• Acts 10:38You know that God chose Jesus to do special work for him. He gave Jesus his Holy Spirit and helped him to do powerful things. Jesus came from the town of Nazareth. He travelled to many places and he did good things. The Devil had power over some people. But Jesus caused all those people to become well again. He could do those powerful things because God was with him.
• Galatians 6:10Because of all that, we must help everyone when we have the chance. Certainly we must do good things to help our friends who believe in Christ, as we do.
• Hebrews 13:16Remember to be kind to other people. Share with them the things that you have. God is happy with sacrifices like that.
• 1 Peter 3:11Stop doing evil things. Instead, do things that are good. Try to be friends with people. Help people to live in peace with each other.
• 3 John 1:11My friend, do not copy what bad people do. Instead, you should copy the good things that people do. The person who does good things shows that he belongs to God. But anyone who does bad things does not know God.
• 1 Timothy 5:10People should know that she has done good things. For example, she must have been a good mother to her children. She must have received visitors into her home. She must have helped God's people as their servant. She must have taken care of people who had problems. She must have continued to do all kinds of good things like that.
• Luke 12:21Then Jesus said, ‘Some people think only about having many things for themselves. This story shows how those people live. But God says about them, “They have nothing of value at all.” ’
• Acts 9:36There was a woman called Tabitha who lived in Joppa. She was a believer. In the Greek language, her name was Dorcas, which means ‘deer’. She was always doing good things to help people. She gave poor people the things that they needed.
• James 2:5My Christian friends, listen to me. God has chosen to bless people who are poor in this world. He has helped them to trust him. So really they are rich. God will give to them a place in his kingdom. He has promised to do that for all people who love him.
• Deuteronomy 15:7The Lord your God will bless you in the land that he is giving to you. But perhaps there will be a poor person among the Israelites in one of your towns. Then do not refuse to help him. Do not think only about yourself.
• Psalms 112:9They give their things to help poor people. People will always remember the good things that they have done. They will be powerful and people will respect them.
• Proverbs 11:24Somebody may share his things with other people, but he still becomes richer. Somebody else may keep the things that he should give to others, but he still becomes poor.

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 6:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18That they do good - That they relieve the wants of their fellow creatures, according to the abundance which God has given them. The highest luxury a human being can enjoy on this side of the grave. Rich in good works - That their good works may be as abundant as their riches. Ready to distribute - · That they give nothing through partiality or favor, but be guided in their distribution by the necessities of the objects presented to them; and that they…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18That they do good - On the duty enjoined in this verse, see Galatians 6:10 note; Hebrews 13:10 note. That they be rich in good works - “That their good works may be as abundant as their riches.” Ready to distribute - To divide with others; compare Acts 4:34. The meaning is, that they should be liberal, or bountiful. Willing to communicate - Margin, or “sociable.” The translation in the text is a more correct rendering of the Greek. The idea is, that they…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 Being rich in this world is wholly different from being rich towards God. Nothing is more uncertain than worldly wealth. Those who are rich, must see that God gives them their riches; and he only can give to enjoy them richly; for many have riches, but enjoy them poorly, not having a heart to use them. What is the best estate worth, more than as it gives opportunity of doing the more good? Showing faith in Christ by fruits of love, let us lay…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-18for us to enjoy: Christian hope encourages us to manage resources responsibly (Genesis 1:28–30; 2:15). We should use our resources for enjoyment and to share Christ’s love with others (see 1 Timothy 4:3–5; Psalm 145:16; Acts 14:17; see Luke 12:16–34; 2 Corinthians 8:1–9:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. do good--like God Himself (Psa 119:68; Ac 14:17) and Christ (Ac 10:38). Tittmann translates, "to do," or "act well"; as the Greek for "to be beneficent" is a distinct word, agathopoiein. rich in good works--so "rich in faith," which produces good works (Jas 2:5). Contrasted with "rich in this world," 1Ti 6:17. Literally, it is "rich in honorable (right) works." Greek, "kalois," "ergois," are works good or right in themselves: "agathois," good to…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Timothy 6:18

• Alms
• Beneficence
• Commandments
• Liberality
• Minister, Christian
• Obedience
• Rich, the
• Riches
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Babbling
• Confession
• Consent
• Content
• Contentment
• Covet
• Foolish
• Pierce
• Root
• Trust

Commentaries on 1 Timothy 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings