'Love of Money Is the Root of All Evil' - Verse Meaning and Is it True? (crosswalk.com)

What Did Paul Mean by 'Love of Money Is the Root of All Evil' in  1 Timothy 6?

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul instructs his disciple on many matters having to do with leading a congregation. One of Paul’s main themes is the idea that a firm grasp of the gospel leads to a transformed and godly life. No corner of the true believer’s life remains untouched by the gospel, and this includes their finances. God’s love, Jesus’ work, and the  Holy Spirit’s indwelling have real implications for the way they interact with money.

In  1 Timothy 6, Paul laments that false teachers and those who are being led astray believe “that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:5). On the contrary, Paul explains that “godliness with contentment is great gain,  for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8). He then concludes the section with a warning that includes the verse on which we are focusing: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.  It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the  faith  and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:9-10). Through these verses, we see that Paul’s concern is not with money itself but with an unhealthy craving for it that causes people to become short-sighted and to lose focus on the things that are eternal, causing all kinds of problems for themselves.