I Timothy 6:11 · Bible study
1 Timothy 6:11 Commentary: Fleeing and Pursuing as a Man of God
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of 'man of God' in 1 Timothy 6:11, the command to flee love of money and pursue six virtues with scholarly insight and pastoral warmth.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A call to flee greed and actively pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.
- Key words: Man of God (OT prophetic title), flee (continuous imperative), pursue (continuous imperative), righteousness (moral rectitude), godliness (reverent piety), gentleness (meekness of spirit).
- Main debate: Whether 'man of God' refers primarily to ministers or to all believers; and whether the 'righteousness' here is imputed or practical.
- Theological theme: Holiness as active pursuit, not mere avoidance; continuity with OT prophetic calling.
- Best use: Pastoral exhortation in teaching on contentment, greed, and Christian character formation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
KJV King James Version 1769
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and thou, O man of God, these things flee, and pursue righteousness, piety, faith, love, endurance, meekness;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But thou, O man of God, flee these things, and pursue righteousness, piety, faith, love, endurance, meekness of spirit.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But thou, O man of God, fly these things: and pursue justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas tú, oh hombre de Dios, huye de estas cosas, y sigue la justicia, la piedad, la fe, la caridad, la paciencia, la mansedumbre.
Porém tu, homem de Deus, foge dessas coisas. Segue a justiça, a devoção divina, a fé, o amor, a paciência, a mansidão.
Pour toi, homme de Dieu, fuis ces choses, et recherche la justice, la piété, la foi, la charité, la patience, la douceur.
Aber du, Gottesmensch, fliehe solches! Jage aber nach der Gerechtigkeit, der Gottseligkeit, dem Glauben, der Liebe, der Geduld, der Sanftmut;
Maar gij, o mens Gods, vlied deze dingen; en jaag naar gerechtigheid, godzaligheid, geloof, liefde, lijdzaamheid, zachtmoedigheid.
Ma tu, o uomo di Dio, fuggi queste cose, e procaccia giustizia, pietà, fede, amore, costanza, dolcezza.
Ale ty, człowiecze Boży! chroń się takich rzeczy, a naśladuj sprawiedliwości, pobożności, wiary, miłości, cierpliwości, cichości.
Ты же, человек Божий, убегай сего, а преуспевай в правде, благочестии, вере, любви, терпении, кротости.
但 你這屬 神 的人 要逃避 這些事， 追求 公義、敬虔、信心、愛心、忍耐、溫柔。
But you, O man of God, keep yourself from these things, and go after righteousness, religion, faith, love, a quiet mind, gentle behaviour.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Timothy 6:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the address 'man of God' deliberately echoes Old Testament usage for prophets (Gill, JFB, Cambridge), marking Timothy as a messenger of God in a line with Moses and Elijah. The present imperatives φεῦγε ('flee') and δίωκε ('pursue') command ongoing, decisive action, not a one-time decision but a continuous lifestyle. The six virtues pair off: righteousness and godliness address outward conduct and inward reverence (Clarke); faith and love are the root and fruit of Christian character (Wesley); endurance (ὑπομονή) and gentleness (πραϋπαθία) are the graces needed under opposition (Cambridge). The consensus is clear: Paul calls believers to turn from greed and chase after godly character.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The core command — to flee the love of money and actively pursue a set of Christian virtues — is not disputed; the main interpretive questions concern the precise referent of 'man of God' and the doctrinal shading of 'righteousness'.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the 'man of God' | The phrase echoes OT prophets (Moses, Elijah, Elisha) and describes a person devoted to God's service. | Some traditions (e.g., Reformed) apply it primarily to ordained ministers; others (e.g., Wesley, some Anglican) see it as a title for every believer who has been born of God and is no longer a 'man of the world'. |
| Meaning of 'righteousness' here | In this context, righteousness refers to moral rectitude and upright dealings with others (Clarke, Vincent, Cambridge). | Whether it also implicates the Pauline doctrine of imputed righteousness (justification by faith) is debated; most commentators here see it as practical righteousness, not the dogmatic sense (Vincent, Matthew Henry). |
| The purpose of the six-virtue list | The list forms a deliberate contrast to the vices of false teachers (Cambridge: three pairs opposing three heads of evil). | Some see the order as logical progression (faith leads to love leads to patience), others as a simple catalogue of essential Christian graces. |
| The verbs 'flee' and 'pursue' | Both are present imperatives, indicating ongoing, habitual action (Gill, Clarke). | Whether 'flee these things' means absolute renunciation of wealth or just the love of money and its associated attitudes. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul writes this letter to Timothy, his young delegate in Ephesus, where false teachers had turned godliness into a means of financial gain (1 Tim 6:5). The surrounding passage condemns those who think wealth proves God's favor, calling the love of money a root of all kinds of evil (v.10). Against this backdrop, Paul pivots sharply with 'But you', a personal contrast to the unnamed 'some' who have gone astray.
The phrase 'man of God' draws on a rich Old Testament heritage. In the Septuagint it describes prophets like Moses (Deut 33:1), Samuel (1 Sam 9:6), Elijah (1 Kings 17:18), and Elisha. By using it here, Paul places Timothy (and by extension every believer called to faithfulness) in that prophetic tradition: a person set apart to speak and live by God's word, not by the world's values.
The verbs are present imperatives: φεῦγε ('flee') and δίωκε ('pursue'). Fleeing suggests urgent, decisive escape from danger, as from a serpent, Wesley says. Pursuing (the same word used of pressing toward a goal in Phil 3:12) pictures active, consistent effort. The list of six virtues opposes the three heads of evil mentioned earlier: false teaching, divisive disputes, and greed for money (Cambridge Bible). In a culture that measured success by wealth and status, Paul redefines success as Christlike character.
Textual Notes
The lexical data note a textual variant in the final word: some manuscripts read πραότης (praotēs, 'meekness') instead of πραϋπαθία (praupathia, 'gentleness' or 'meekness of disposition'). The majority of critical editions adopt πραϋπαθία, a rare compound word found only here in the New Testament. The consulted sources do not identify any other significant variants for this verse.
Reception History
This verse has been read across traditions as a standard for Christian ministry. Early church fathers applied 'man of God' to clergy undergoing ascetic discipline. In the Reformation, both Luther and Calvin highlighted the prophetic overtones, using the verse to call ministers to reject simony and greed. Later Wesleyan and Holiness movements saw it as a call to entire sanctification, fleeing sin and pursuing entire holiness. Modern evangelicalism often uses the verse in sermons on contentment, with the 'flee and follow' pattern serving as a memorable summary of the Christian moral life. The verse also appears in ordination services, linking contemporary ministers to the prophetic heritage.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Your identity shapes your direction. 'Man of God' is not just a title but a calling. You belong to God, so you live like it.
- Flee what destroys. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Escape it, don't flirt with it.
- Pursue what builds. Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness, make them your chase.
Five-point outline
- Knowing who you are: a person claimed by God.
- Knowing what to leave: the love of money with its temptations and sorrows.
- Knowing what to seek: moral integrity and reverent worship.
- Knowing how to persist: faith that anchors, love that serves, patience that endures.
- Knowing how to relate: gentleness toward others, even opponents.
Illustration hooks
- A pastor tempted to measure success by church budget or attendance, needing to check his own heart toward money.
- A young professional facing an unethical bonus or promotion, flee or pursue, the choice defines character.
- A retirement planning conversation that reveals whether you trust God or your 401(k).
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if I have crossed the line from wise saving to loving money?
- Can I be wealthy and still be a 'man of God'?
- How do I pursue gentleness without becoming a doormat?
Leading a Discussion
This verse draws a clear line in the sand: we are called to run from some things and run toward others. The identity 'man of God' applies to every believer who has been bought with a price. This study invites your group to examine which direction their feet are actually moving.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase 'man of God' tell you about how Paul sees Timothy? How might that identity change how you see yourself?
- What do you think 'these things' refers to in the context of verses 3, 10? Why is fleeing necessary rather than just resisting?
- Why do you think Paul pairs righteousness and godliness together? How are they different?
- Which of the six virtues do you find easiest to practice? Which is hardest? What makes it difficult?
- How does 'pursue' (present imperative) challenge our tendency to think of holiness as a one-time decision?
- How can this group help you flee the love of money and pursue one of these virtues this week?
- What would change in your daily routine if you took this verse literally for 30 days?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 16:20 | You shall follow that which is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which Yahweh your God gives you. |
| Deuteronomy 33:1 | This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. |
| I Samuel 2:27 | A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Did I reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? |
| I Samuel 9:6 | The servant said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says surely happens. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.” |
| I Kings 13:1 | Behold, a man of God came out of Judah by Yahweh’s word to Bethel; and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. |
| I Kings 13:26 | When the prophet who brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who was disobedient to Yahweh’s word. Therefore Yahweh has delivered him to the lion, which has mauled him and slain him, according to Yahweh’s word which he spoke to him.” |
| I Kings 17:18 | She said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my son!” |
| I Kings 17:24 | The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that Yahweh’s word in your mouth is truth.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke warns that even those who have dedicated their lives to God are not beyond the reach of the love of money, a snare that has ruined many ministers. He then lists the virtues that must be actively pursued instead: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a sharp contrast between two life directions: fleeing the allure of wealth and the harm it brings, and actively pursuing righteousness and the virtues that grow from it. He urges making these virtues the single great aim of life, not a secondary concern.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that when the gospel announced brotherhood in Christ, slaves eagerly assumed it meant freedom from their masters. Paul writes to correct that misunderstanding: the spiritual equality of believers does not overturn social roles. Slaves must still honor their masters willingly, because how they live affects whether God's teaching is honored or disgraced.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousnesse, godlines, faith, loue, patience, and meekenes.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that "man of God" here refers not to every believer but to Timothy's specific office as a minister, borrowed from Old Testament prophets. He then unpacks each virtue—righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness—showing how each directly opposes the greed, pride, and worldly pursuits Timothy is told to flee.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees "man of God" as a title for ministers like Timothy, but also applying to every Christian who has God as their true riches and belongs to Him. Such a person is no longer their own, bought with a price, and called to be Christ's living representative on earth.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws a sharp line between those who treat Christianity as a trade for worldly advantage and those who follow it as a life's calling. The first group will be disappointed, but the second finds true gain, because godliness paired with contentment holds the promise of both this life and the next.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent draws attention to three Greek words in this verse. "Man of God" appears only in the Pastoral Epistles and is not a formal title. "Righteousness" here means moral uprightness under God's law, not Paul's usual theological sense. "Meekness" is a rare New Testament word for gentleness of feeling.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley defines the "man of God" as one belonging to another world, who must flee worldly greed like a serpent. He stresses that faith is a supernatural sight of God's mercy in Christ, the root of all grace, while love is the inner spring of all holiness, penetrating every good work.