1 Timothy 6:11
What does 1 Timothy 6:11 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 Timothy 6:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 Timothy 6:11 means
Timothy is addressed directly: “O man of God.” His identity dictates his course. He must “flee these things”—the love of money and the controversies of false teachers—and actively pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. The Christian life is not neutral drift; it is decisive movement away from snares and toward virtue. Patience and meekness temper zeal with gentleness, reflecting Christ’s character. Faith and love fuel perseverance in hardship. Righteousness and godliness mark visible conduct before God and people. This ordered pursuit is the antidote to corrosive desires, shaping a pastor who protects the flock by embodying the truth he teaches.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
KJV
King James Version · 1611But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But you, O man of God, keep yourself from these things, and go after righteousness, religion, faith, love, a quiet mind, gentle behaviour.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and thou, O man of God, these things flee, and pursue righteousness, piety, faith, love, endurance, meekness;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752But thou, O man of God, fly these things: and pursue justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But thou, O man ofGod, flee these things, and pursue righteousness, piety, faith, love, endurance, meekness of spirit.
Context
Having exposed the dangers of greed (verses 9–10), Paul now turns from general warning to personal exhortation. Verse 11 names Timothy as a “man of God” and summons him to both flight and pursuit. Verse 12 extends this with a call to active struggle and confident grasp of eternal life, reminding Timothy of his public confession. The charge then rises to a solemn level in verses 13–14, invoking God and Christ Jesus as witnesses and anchoring Timothy’s obedience in the anticipation of Christ’s appearing, followed by a doxology exalting God’s sovereign majesty (verses 15–16).
v.10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
v.11This passage
v.12Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Titus 2:11
For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
- Nehemiah 12:24
And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch.
- 1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
- 1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, guard that which is committed unto thee, turning away from the profane babblings and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called;
- 2 Timothy 2:22
But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
- 2 Kings 5:20
But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as Jehovah liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
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