God’s Word Translation
1 Timothy 6:17
17Tell those who have the riches of this world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, they should place their confidence in God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
1 Timothy 6:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
- New International Version (NIV)Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
- English Standard Version (ESV)As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
Context of 1 Timothy 6:17
15At the right time God will make this known. God is the blessed and only ruler. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16He is the only one who cannot die. He lives in light that no one can come near. No one has seen him, nor can they see him. Honor and power belong to him forever! Amen. Tell those who have the riches of this world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, they should place their confidence in God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18Tell them to do good, to do a lot of good things, to be generous, and to share. 19By doing this they store up a treasure for themselves which is a good foundation for the future. In this way they take hold of what life really is.
Read all of 1 Timothy 61 Timothy 6:17 word by word
Τοῖς πλουσίοις ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι παράγγελλε μὴ ὑψηλοφρονεῖν μηδὲ ἠλπικέναι ἐπὶ πλούτου ἀδηλότητι ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ θεῷ τῷ παρέχοντι ἡμῖν πάντα πλουσίως εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Chargeπαραγγέλλωparaggellō · to orderG3853
- them that are richὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- them that are richπλούσιοςplousios · richG4145
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- thisνῦνnun · nowG3568
- worldαἰώνaiōn · an age: ageG165
- that they beὑψηλοφρονέωhupsēlophroneō · be arrogantG5309
- notμήmē · notG3361
- norμηδέmēde · norG3366
- trustἐλπίζωelpizō · to hope/expectG1679
- inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- uncertainἀδηλότηςadēlotēs · uncertaintyG83
- richesπλοῦτοςploutos · richesG4149
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- the livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- who givethπαρέχωparechō · to furnish occasionG3930
- usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- richlyπλουσίωςplousiōs · richlyG4146
- all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- ·ἀπόλαυσιςapolausis · enjoymentG619
Cross-references for 1 Timothy 6:17
- 1 Timothy 6:13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and in the sight of Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony in front of Pontius Pilate,
- 1 Timothy 1:3When I was going to the province of Macedonia, I encouraged you to stay in the city of Ephesus. That way you could order certain people to stop teaching false doctrine
- 1 Timothy 5:21I solemnly call on you in the sight of God, Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels to be impartial when you follow what I’ve told you. Never play favorites.
- Genesis 13:2Abram was very rich because he had livestock, silver, and gold.
- Job 1:1A man named Job lived in Uz. He was a man of integrity: He was decent, he feared God, and he stayed away from evil.
- Matthew 19:23Jesus said to his disciples, “I can guarantee this truth: It will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 27:57In the evening a rich man named Joseph arrived. He was from the city of Arimathea and had become a disciple of Jesus.
- Luke 19:2A man named Zacchaeus was there. He was the director of tax collectors, and he was rich.
- Deuteronomy 6:10The Lord your God will bring you into the land and give it to you, as he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This land will have large, prosperous cities that you didn’t build.
- Deuteronomy 8:17You may say to yourselves, “I became wealthy because of my own ability and strength.”
- Deuteronomy 33:15the finest fruits from the oldest mountains, the best from the ancient hills,
- 2 Chronicles 26:16But when he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God. He went into the Lord’s temple to burn incense on the incense altar.
- 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah was conceited, so he didn’t repay the Lord for his kindness. The Lord became angry with him, with Judah, and with Jerusalem.
- Psalms 10:3The wicked person boasts about his selfish desires. He blesses robbers, but he curses the Lord.
- Psalms 73:5They have no drudgery in their lives like ordinary people. They are not plagued ⌞with problems⌟ like others.
- Proverbs 30:9or I may feel satisfied and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or I may become poor and steal and give the name of my God a bad reputation.
Commentaries on 1 Timothy 6:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Charge them that are rich - He had before, in 1 Timothy 6:9, 1 Timothy 6:10, given them a very awful lesson concerning their obtaining riches; and now he gives them one equally so concerning their use of them. That they be not high-minded - That they do not value themselves on account of their wealth, for this adds nothing to mind or moral worth. Nor trust in uncertain riches - · The uncertainty of riches; things which are never at a stay, are ever…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded - One of the evils to which they are particularly exposed. The idea is, that they should not value themselves on account of their wealth, or look down with pride and arrogance on their inferiors. They should not suppose that they are any better people or any nearer heaven, because they are wealthy. Property really makes no distinction in the great things that pertain to character and…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. 1717. Resuming the subject from above, 1Ti 6:5, 10. The immortality of God, alone rich in glory, and of His people through Him, is opposed to the lust of money (compare 1Ti 6:14-16). From speaking of the desire to be rich, he here passes to those who are rich: (1) What ought to be their disposition; (2) What use they ought to make of their riches, and, (3) The consequences of their so using them. rich in this world--contrasted with the riches of the future…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Timothy 6:17
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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