The Meaning of 1 Timothy 6:19 Explained

1 Timothy 6:19

KJV: Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

YLT: treasuring up to themselves a right foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life age-during.

Darby: laying by for themselves a good foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of what is really life.

ASV: laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is life indeed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Laying up in store  for themselves  a good  foundation  against  the time to come,  that  they may lay hold on  eternal  life. 

What does 1 Timothy 6:19 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Timothy 6:11-21 - "fight The Good Fight Of The Faith"
The poor need not envy the rich. Wealth makes no difference in the audit of eternity. A man cannot eat more than a certain amount of food, and wear more than a certain amount of clothing. If we have enough why envy others? The true wealth of life is in self-renunciation and beneficence. How different from the money-grabber is the man of God who flees such things, and follows after righteousness, who fights the good fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and who never flinches from witnessing the good witness. If we suffer here with Jesus, we shall share in the glory of His manifestation. Notice the wealth of the Apostle's ascription to Jesus! Here is life in its spring, light at its source, power and authority in their original fountain. Let us claim these blessings and enthrone them in our lives.
The charge to the rich is eminently sound. We must set our hope not on the attainment of fleeting things, but in God who loves to give and see His children happy. We hold all that we have, that we may be God's channels of communication to others. What we hoard we lose, what we give away we store. The life which is life indeed can be acquired only through death and self-giving [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Timothy 6

1  Of the duty of servants
3  Not to have fellowship with newfangled teachers
6  Godliness is great gain;
10  and love of money the root of all evil
11  What Timothy is to flee, and what to follow
17  and whereof to admonish the rich
20  To keep the purity of true doctrine, and to avoid godless ideas

Greek Commentary for 1 Timothy 6:19

Laying up in store [αποτησαυριζοντας]
Late literary word (απο — apo and τησαυριζω — thēsaurizō), only here in N.T. Same paradox as in Matthew 6:19., “laying up in store” by giving it away. [source]
Which is life indeed [της οντως ζωης]
See note on 1 Timothy 5:3 for οντως — ontōs This life is merely the shadow of the eternal reality to come. [source]
Laying up in store [ἀποθησαυρίζοντας]
N.T.oLaying away ( ἀπὸ ). [source]
Eternal life [τῆς ὄντως ζωῆς]
More correctly, the life which is life indeed, or that which is truly life. See on 1 Timothy 5:3. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Timothy 6:19

Colossians 1:5 Laid up [αποκειμεινην]
Literally, “laid away or by.” Old word used in Luke 19:20 of the pound laid away in a napkin. See also αποτησαυριζω — apothēsaurizō to store away for future use (1 Timothy 6:19). The same idea occurs in Matthew 6:20 (treasure in heaven) and 1 Peter 1:4 and it is involved in Philemon 3:20. Ye heard before (προηκουσατε — proēkousate). First aorist indicative active of this old compound προακουω — proakouō though only here in the N.T. Before what? Before Paul wrote? Before the realization? Before the error of the Gnostics crept in? Each view is possible and has advocates. Lightfoot argues for the last and it is probably correct as is indicated by the next clause. In the word of the truth of the gospel “In the preaching of the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:5, Galatians 2:14) which is come They heard the pure gospel from Epaphras before the Gnostics came. [source]
1 Timothy 4:8 The life that now is [ζωῆς τῆς νῦν]
According to the strict Greek idiom, life the now. This idiom and the following, τῆς μελλούσης N.T.oThe phrase ὁ νῦν αἰών thepresent aeon, 1 Timothy 6:17; 2 Timothy 4:10; Titus 2:12. Ὁ αἰών οὗτος this aeon, a few times in the Gospels, often in Paul, nowhere else. We have ὁ αἰών ὁ μέλλων theaeon which is to be, and ὁ αἰών ὁ ἐρχόμενος or ἐπερχόμενος theaeon which is coming on, in the Gospels, once in Paul (Ephesians 2:7), and in Hebrews once, μέλλων αἰών without the article. Ἑν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳ inthis time, of the present as contrasted with the future life, Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30. Ὁ νυν καιρός thenow time, in the same relation, Romans 8:18. For ζωὴ lifesee on John 1:4. The force of the genitive with ἐπαγγελία promisemay be expressed by for. Godliness involves a promise for this life and for the next; but for this life as it reflects the heavenly life, is shaped and controlled by it, and bears its impress. Godliness has promise for the present life because it has promise for the life which is to come. Only the life which is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 1:1) is life indeed, 1 Timothy 6:19. Comp. 1 Peter 3:10; 1 Corinthians 3:21-23. [source]
1 Timothy 6:12 Lay hold on [επιλαβου]
Second (ingressive) aorist middle imperative of επιλαμβανω — epilambanō “get a grip on.” See same verb with genitive also in 1 Timothy 6:19. Thou wast called (εκλητης — eklēthēs). First aorist passive of καλεω — kaleō as in 1 Corinthians 1:9; Colossians 3:15. The good confession Cognate accusative with ωμολογησας — hōmologēsas (first aorist active indicative of ομολογεω — homologeō the public confession in baptism which many witnessed. See it also in 1 Timothy 6:13 of Jesus. [source]
2 Timothy 2:19 Firm [στερεος]
Old adjective, solid, compact, in N.T. only here, 1 Peter 5:9; Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 5:14. See στερεωμα — stereōma in Colossians 2:5. For τεμελιος — themelios see note on 1 Corinthians 3:11; Romans 15:20; 1 Timothy 6:19. Cf. εδραιωμα — hedraiōma in 1 Timothy 3:15. Seal (σπραγις — sphragis). See 1 Corinthians 9:2; Romans 4:11. Knoweth Timeless aorist active indicative of γινωσκω — ginōskō Quotation from Numbers 16:5. Let every one depart (αποστητω πας — apostētō pās). Paraphrase of Numbers 16:27; Isaiah 26:13; Isaiah 52:11; Jeremiah 20:9. Second aorist active imperative of απιστημι — aphistēmi (intransitive use), “Let every one stand off from.” Probably another echo of the rebellion of Korah. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Timothy 6:19 mean?

treasuring up for themselves a foundation good for the future so that they may take hold of that which is indeed life
ἀποθησαυρίζοντας ἑαυτοῖς θεμέλιον καλὸν εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἵνα ἐπιλάβωνται τῆς ὄντως ζωῆς

ἀποθησαυρίζοντας  treasuring  up 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀποθησαυρίζω  
Sense: to put away, lay by in store, to treasure away.
ἑαυτοῖς  for  themselves 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
θεμέλιον  a  foundation 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: θεμέλιον 
Sense: laid down as a foundation, the foundation (of a building, wall, city).
καλὸν  good 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: καλός  
Sense: beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable.
μέλλον  future 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: μέλλω  
Sense: to be about.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
ἐπιλάβωνται  they  may  take  hold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐπιλαμβάνομαι  
Sense: to take in addition, to lay hold of, take possession of, overtake, attain, attain to.
ὄντως  that  which  is  indeed 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὀλίγως 
Sense: truly, in reality, in point of fact, as opp.
ζωῆς  life 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ζωή  
Sense: life.