Warning: φιλαργυρία (Strong’s G5365: philargyria) Root of All Evil

Strong’s G5365: A compound word combining “philos” (love) and “argyros” (silver/money), denoting the love of money or avarice. In 1 Timothy 6:10, it’s identified as a root of all kinds of evil, representing destructive materialism and misplaced devotion that leads away from faith.

U – Unveiling the Word

φιλαργυρία represents more than mere possession of wealth; it embodies an excessive love or craving for money that becomes a spiritual poison. The compound nature of this word powerfully combines the intensity of “philos” (love) with “argyros” (silver/money), creating a term that describes a consuming passion for material wealth. In the New Testament context, it stands as a serious spiritual warning, representing a form of idolatry that diverts devotion from God to mammon. The early church fathers frequently used this term to warn against the spiritual dangers of materialism, seeing it as a primary threat to genuine faith. Today, in our increasingly materialistic society, this word serves as a crucial reminder of money’s potential to corrupt the soul when it becomes an object of devotion.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: φιλαργυρία, philargyria, /fil·ar·gy·rí·a/
• Detailed pronunciation: fee-lar-goo-REE-ah
• Part of Speech: Noun (Feminine)

Etymology:

• phil- (φιλ-): prefix meaning “loving, fond of”
• argyr- (ἀργυρ-): root meaning “silver, money”
• -ia (-ία): suffix forming abstract nouns

D – Defining Meanings

• Love of money
• Avarice
• Covetousness

For compound words:
phil- indicates the passionate nature of the attachment
argyr- specifies money as the object of desire
-ia transforms it into an abstract noun describing the condition

Translation Options:

• “love of money” – most literal translation capturing both components
• “avarice” – emphasizes the excessive nature of the desire
• “greed” – focuses on the corrupting influence of the desire

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πλεονεξία (pleonexia) /ple·o·ne·xí·a/ – covetousness, greed
  See G4124
• φιλάργυρος (philargyros) /fil·ár·gy·ros/ – money-loving, covetous
  See G5366
• αἰσχροκερδής (aischrokerdēs) /ai·schro·ker·dēs/ – greedy of base gain
  See G146

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a feminine noun:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First

Examples:

• Nominative: φιλαργυρία (the love of money)
• Genitive: φιλαργυρίας (of the love of money)
• Dative: φιλαργυρίᾳ (to/for the love of money)
• Accusative: φιλαργυρίαν (direct object form)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

Lexical sources uniformly emphasize φιλαργυρία’s severe spiritual implications. BDAG presents it as a consuming passion that leads to spiritual destruction. Thayer’s emphasizes its connection to idolatry, noting how it diverts worship from God to material wealth. LSJ documents its use in classical literature as a vice that corrupts both individuals and societies. Vine’s highlights its appearance in 1 Timothy as a root cause of spiritual decay. Moulton and Milligan note its frequent occurrence in moral discourse, particularly in warnings about spiritual dangers. The lexicons consistently present this term as representing not just a love of money, but a destructive force that corrupts spiritual life.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
For the love of money [φιλαργυρία] 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 6:10)

Additional References:
This is the only occurrence in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

φιλαργυρία stands as a powerful warning in Scripture about the destructive nature of misplaced love. When money becomes an object of devotion, it creates a spiritual vacuum that leads people away from faith in God. The Messiah’s teachings consistently warned against this danger, emphasizing that we cannot serve both God and mammon. This word reminds us that true wealth is found in our relationship with God, not in material possessions. The good news is that through faith in the Messiah, we can be freed from the bondage of materialism and find our satisfaction in God’s abundant provision.

D – Did You Know?

• The term specifically refers to silver money in its root form
• Early church fathers saw φιλαργυρία as one of the primary threats to genuine faith
• The word influenced medieval Christian teachings on the seven deadly sins, contributing to the concept of avarice

Strong’s G5365: A compound word combining “philos” (love) and “argyros” (silver/money), denoting the love of money or avarice. In 1 Timothy 6:10, it’s identified as a root of all kinds of evil, representing destructive materialism and misplaced devotion that leads away from faith.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: money, greed, avarice, materialism, wealth, sin, idolatry, Timothy, warning, spiritual-danger, silver, love, root-of-evil​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​