Herbert W Armstrong

   Is money the root of evil?

   This question has been asked frequently since many heard Mr. Armstrong say that "money is not THE root of all evil."

   Some have very quickly turned to I Timothy 6:10 and, by careless reading, assumed something this text does not say at all. If you will turn to this Scripture in your Bible and carefully study it, you will see where the error is made.

   To start with, notice that the text reads, "For the love of money is the root of all evil...." It says the "LOVE of money," not merely money, but the "love of money," is the root of all evil. From this you can see that a person with no money could still commit this evil.

   The poor and the rich alike can LOVE money. Money by itself is not sin. It is the misuse of money that is sin. Money can be used for good as well as evil.

   The second point which is not generally known or understood concerns the expression rendered in the King James Version "the root." If an interlinear Greek-English text is consulted, or some of the more accurate translations, you will find the expression to be "a root." So "love of money" is merely "a root" or all evil. This gives added meaning to the thought. It is a root, not the only root of evil. There are other roots of evil beside the love of money. The correct rendering of this passage is, "For the love of money is a root of all evils...." (Panin Translation).

   Now it should be plain that money is not the root or evil, but "the LOVE of money is a root of evil."