I Timothy 6:19 · Bible study
1 Timothy 6:19 Commentary: Storing Up Treasure, Laying Hold of True Life
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How does generous giving lead to laying hold of eternal life? A study of 1 Timothy 6:19's grammar, context, and theological meaning.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Using wealth generously builds a secure, heavenly foundation that enables the believer to finally grasp true, eternal life.
- Key words: apothēsaurizō (store up), themelion (foundation), kalon (good, excellent), ontōs (truly, really).
- Main debate: Whether the “good foundation” refers to the heavenly reward itself (Gill, Wesley) or to the good works that make reward possible (Cambridge, JFB).
- Theological theme: Stewardship of wealth as a means of grace that confirms the believer’s hope of eternal life.
- Best use: A key text for teaching on giving, eternal perspective, and the role of works in the believer’s final salvation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
WEB World English Bible 2000
laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.
KJV King James Version 1769
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
treasuring up to themselves a right foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life age-during.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
laying by for themselves a good foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of [what is] really life.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
To lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the true life.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Atesorando para sí buen fundamento para lo por venir, que echen mano á la vida eterna.
que acumulem para si mesmos um bom fundamento para o futuro, para que obtenham a verdadeira vida.
et de s’amasser ainsi pour l’ avenir un trésor placé sur un fondement solide, afin de saisir la vie véritable.
Schätze sammeln, sich selbst einen guten Grund aufs Zukünftige, daß sie ergreifen das wahre Leben.
Leggende zichzelven weg tot een schat een goed fondament tegen het toekomende, opdat zij het eeuwige leven verkrijgen mogen.
in modo da farsi un tesoro ben fondato per l’avvenire, a fin di conseguire la vera vita.
Skarbiąc sami sobie grunt dobry na przyszły czas, aby otrzymali żywot wieczny.
собирая себе сокровище, доброе основание для будущего, чтобы достигнуть вечной жизни.
為自己 積成 美好的 根基，預備 將來，叫 他們持定 那真正的 生命。
Making ready for themselves a safe place for the time to come, so that the true life may be theirs.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Timothy 6:19
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The verse is the logical conclusion of Paul’s charge to the wealthy (vv. 17, 18): those who are rich in good works are, by that act, “laying up in store for themselves a good foundation” for the future. The compound verb apothēsaurizontas (G597) means to put away or store up abundance, and the reflexive heautois (“for themselves”) underscores that the benefit is personal, not for heirs or strangers. Commentators agree this cannot mean works earn salvation. Wesley insists alms-deeds do not merit eternal life, yet they “come up for a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4) and their absence may be why God withholds grace. Gill is careful to say the “good foundation” is not Christ (who is the only foundation of salvation) but the heavenly happiness itself, laid up by grace. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible treat the foundation as the solid reversion of future inheritance that springs from good works. All agree the verse calls wealthy believers to use material goods in ways that serve eternal ends, without compromising the priority of grace.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Foundation as heavenly reward: Gill and Wesley: the foundation is not Christ but the happiness laid up in heaven; it is a result of grace, not human effort.
- Foundation as good works themselves: Cambridge Bible and JFB: the good works form a solid foundation that undergirds the believer’s hope and future inheritance.
What is clear: Generosity and good works, flowing from faith, are the means by which believers secure a heavenly treasure and ultimately lay hold of the true, eternal life that God alone gives.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Salvation by grace vs. reward for works | All traditions affirm that eternal life is a free gift of God, not earned by human effort. | Some traditions (Reformed, Lutheran) emphasize that good works are the necessary evidence of faith but do not contribute to salvation; others (Catholic, Wesleyan) see the works themselves as means through which God’s grace brings the believer to final salvation, without denying grace as the sole source. |
| Meaning of “good foundation” | It refers to something solid, secure, and heavenly, not an earthly foundation. | Gill and Wesley argue the foundation is the reward itself, happiness laid up in heaven. The Cambridge Bible and JFB see it as the good works, which form a foundation on which the spiritual life builds. |
| Laying hold of eternal life | This is a future, eschatological event, the final reception of eternal life at Christ’s return or the believer’s death. | Some (e.g., Lutherans) stress that this “laying hold” is a passive receiving of what grace has already secured; others (Methodist, Catholic) emphasize the active participation of the believer through perseverance and good works. |
| The role of almsgiving in the early church | Almsgiving was seen as a way of storing up treasure in heaven. | Protestants generally caution against any notion of earning merit, while Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions view almsgiving as a work of charity that cooperates with grace and increases heavenly reward. |
Historical & Cultural Context
First Timothy was written to Paul’s apostolic delegate in Ephesus, a prosperous Asian port city. Earlier in the chapter (vv. 5, 10), Paul rebukes false teachers who suppose godliness is a means of gain and warns that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Now he turns to those who actually are rich in this present age (v. 17). In the Greco-Roman world, wealth was publicly displayed through patronage and benefaction, and it was assumed to signal divine favor. Paul dismantles that assumption: the rich must not be arrogant, nor trust in the uncertainty of riches, but in the living God who richly provides all things to enjoy (v. 17).
The command to be “ready to distribute, willing to share” (v. 18) echoes Jewish and early Christian traditions of almsgiving as a form of treasure laid up in heaven. Clarke notes a close verbal parallel to the apocryphal book of Tobit (4:8, 9), where almsgiving stores up a good reward “against the day of necessity.” The phrase eis to mellon (“against the time to come”) carries an eschatological thrust: the present life is marked by uncertainty (James 4:14), but the coming age is solid and enduring. The “good foundation” metaphor would resonate with hearers familiar with building imagery in both Jewish wisdom (Prov 10:25) and Jesus’ teaching (Luke 6:48). The wealthy believer is to be like the wise builder, laying a foundation that will stand in the judgment.
Textual Notes
The majority of later Byzantine manuscripts read “eternal life” (ζωῆς αἰωνίου), but the earliest Alexandrian witnesses (including Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus) read “that which is truly life” (τῆς ὄντως ζωῆς), as reflected in the ASV, BSB, and Darby. The adverb ontōs (“really, truly”) contrasts sharply with the fleeting, uncertain life of the present age (1 Tim 6:17; Jas 4:14). This reading is preferred by virtually all modern critical editions. It does not change the doctrine but sharpens the qualitative contrast: the life God gives is the only genuine life worth having.
Reception History
The early church, particularly in the writings of Clement of Alexandria (Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?), used this verse to encourage wealthy believers to give alms as a way of securing eternal treasure. In the medieval period, the verse was cited in support of almsgiving for the dead and the merit of charitable works. The Reformers, especially Luther and Calvin, insisted that the foundation is not a human achievement but a gracious promise, the good works are fruits of faith, not its basis. Wesley drew on the verse to argue that while alms cannot earn salvation, their absence may be a reason God withholds grace. Across traditions, the verse has always been read as a call to use material wealth for eternal ends.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Surprising Investment: By scattering earthly wealth through generosity, believers gather heavenly treasure (Prov 11:24; Luke 16:9). The verb apothēsaurizō (to store up) here carries a counterintuitive logic: we store up by giving away.
- The Solid Foundation: This treasure is called a “good foundation”, not the foundation of salvation (that is Christ alone, 1 Cor 3:11), but the secure, enduring inheritance that God’s grace through generosity secures. It outlasts moth, rust, and thieves (Matt 6:19, 20).
- The Ultimate Goal: The purpose clause hina epilabōntai (“that they may lay hold”) points to the final, decisive grasp of “the life which is life indeed”, the true, genuine, eternal life that only God gives. Good works do not earn it, but they are the path by which faith reaches its goal.
Five-point outline
- Paul’s charge to the rich (vv. 17, 18): don’t be arrogant, hope in God, be rich in good works.
- The paradox of generosity: giving away is actually storing up, for yourself, not for others to consume.
- The foundation laid in heaven: not earthly security, but a permanent, “good” (beautiful, excellent) basis for the future.
- The eschatological horizon: “against the time to come”, every act of generosity is an investment in the age to come.
- Laying hold of true life: the adverb ontōs (“really, truly”) contrasts the shadow-life of this world with the authentic, resurrection life of the kingdom.
Illustration hooks
- A retirement account might grow for decades, then be spent in a few years. Paul describes an account that never depletes and pays out for eternity. Which one gets your best effort?
- A builder pours a foundation for a house they may never live in, because the house belongs to the next generation. Believers lay a foundation for the coming world, not for their own comfort now.
- Think of the regret of a wasted opportunity, a resource that could have helped someone, but wasn’t used. This verse gives a compelling reason not to let that happen.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If salvation is by grace alone, why does this verse seem to connect generosity with eternal life?
- How much should I give before I am “laying up a good foundation”? Is there a benchmark?
- What if I don’t have much to give? Does this verse only apply to the wealthy?
Leading a Discussion
This verse concludes a passage where Paul instructs Timothy to command the rich not to be arrogant but to be generous. Then he attaches an extraordinary promise: by their generosity they are storing up a foundation for the future that leads to laying hold of eternal life. How does that square with a gospel of free grace? Use this conversation to explore the relationship between grace, works, and the practical life of faith.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Timothy 6:17, 19. What problem is Paul addressing among the wealthy in Ephesus? What does he command them to do?
- The participle “laying up in store” (apothēsaurizontas) describes the result of the commands in v. 18. How does “doing good, being rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to share” become a way of storing up treasure?
- What does the phrase “good foundation” mean in this context? Is it the same as the foundation Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 3:11? How does Gill (in the commentary) distinguish them?
- Why does Paul say this foundation is “for themselves”? In what sense does generosity benefit the giver more than the receiver?
- Compare this verse with Matthew 6:19, 21 and Matthew 19:21. How does Jesus’ teaching on treasure in heaven align with Paul’s instruction here?
- The best Greek manuscripts read “the life which is life indeed” rather than “eternal life.” How does that translation deepen the meaning? What makes God’s life “real” compared to the life we live now?
- Verses 12 and 19 both use the phrase “lay hold of eternal life.” How do you understand the relationship between the fight of faith (v. 12) and the generosity of the rich (v. 19)? Are they two different ways to the same goal, or two sides of one path?
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)
| Psalms 17:14 | from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children. |
| Proverbs 10:25 | When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more; but the righteous stand firm forever. |
| Proverbs 31:25 | Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come. |
| Matthew 6:19 | “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; |
| Matthew 6:21 | for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. |
| Matthew 10:41 | He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. |
| Matthew 10:42 | Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.” |
| Matthew 19:21 | Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” |
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 notes that Paul borrows the image of a treasured foundation from the Book of Tobit. He stresses that while almsdeeds cannot earn salvation, they build a memorial before God. Those who show mercy obtain mercy, but eternal life remains a gift from God through Jesus Christ.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that Christians should manage their property in a way that directly advances their eternal welfare. The right use of wealth, he argues, can become a source of exalted happiness in heaven, provided it never hinders the soul's religion and is directed toward the greatest possible good.
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.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that the rich cannot grasp the life that is truly life—both present and eternal—unless they use their wealth for good works. Eternal life is not just a future reward but a present spiritual reality, secured only by laying a foundation of generosity from what God has provided.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that believers should deliberately build a spiritual foundation through good works now, storing up treasure that will secure eternal life in the age to come. It frames generosity not as optional charity but as essential preparation for the judgment that lies ahead.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws on a Jewish story about King Munbaz: his fathers stored up treasure for others on earth, but he stored up treasure for himself in heaven. So the "good foundation" here is not the foundation of salvation, which is Christ alone, but the happiness that comes from seeking spiritual riches and grace, which are solid and eternal compared to uncertain earthly wealth.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses the paradox that scattering earthly riches in faith actually stores up a secure treasure in heaven. The term "eternal life" is better rendered "that which is really life," because present life is fleeting and insubstantial, while the joys to come are solid and enduring.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the precision of the Greek phrase: eternal life is not merely endless existence but "the life which is life indeed," the only life truly worthy of the name. The verb with its prefix implies setting it apart as a treasure stored up.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that alms deeds cannot earn eternal life, yet they serve as a "memorial before God" through which His free mercy grants a reward. Neglecting this practice may become the very reason God withholds grace and salvation from us.