**TL;DR – We’ve often heard the expression, “Money is the root of all evil.” However, this is not true. So if money is not the root of all evil, why does the Bible say it is?** This is one of the most misquoted versus in the Bible. In fact, this expression (or verse) actually reads: “For the love of money 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).” From here then, we can already determine that the *love* of money is *a root of evil* – because some people love money more than they love anything else, including God. The website gospelrelevance.com provides further evidence of this when it urges us to look more closely at what Paul said to Timothy in his first letter concerning this matter. So upon closer inspection of this verse one thing becomes apparent: the *love* of money is *a root* of *all kinds of evil.* More specifically, the word *love* as it is used here makes all the difference in how one makes sense of – understands this expression (verse), as in the original language the word that Paul used could be interpreted as “an affection for money.” What’s more, words such as “covetousness” and “greed” can also be used as synonyms in this instance. Surprisingly, this is the only occurrence of this word in the entire Bible. The website also goes on to say that seeking to make a lot of money for the" right" reasons is not a sin, but not living generously is. That is to say, material possessions are not the problem; greed, covetousness and pride are. For example, even if the system of money was abolished, theft would still occur because having money (or no money) would not stop a person from stealing if they wanted to. So while money is an important aspect of our lives – one has to earn a living to survive, we would do well to remember the following: the difference in this commonly misinterpreted expression and the *actual* expression lies then, in one's desire and motivation. What is or will the money be used for? Only for pleasure or pride? In this way, money is not good or bad. It's just simply a *value* to measure things. It is (and has) in fact become a tool of exchange based on the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must do so via trade and give value for value. So on the one hand, getting the balance right can lead to a happy, stress-free life and the ability to make the social changes we want to see. While on the other hand, getting the balance wrong can destroy us, our families, our communities and the planet. As a result, money in itself is *not the root* of *all evil* or *all kinds of evil.* However, an unhealthy love and desire for it is – idolatry. This is why Paul said, "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." Why Money is Not The Root of All Evil https://www.gospelrelevance.com/2017/07/16/money-is-not-the-root-of-all-evil/ [accessed March 6, 2021].

**TL;DR – The full quote is actually “for the _love_ of money is the root of all kinds of evil” from the Bible passage [1 Timothy 6:10](https://biblehub.com/1_timothy/6-10.htm). One should place a heavy emphasis on the word “love”.** Money is essentially a [medium of exchange](https://www.investopedia.com/insights/what-is-money/). It is used as a means to an end, rather than being perceived as an end in itself. Consequently, it can be used for either good _or_ evil, a choice which is ultimately dependent on the values of the moral agent. For example: • Kobe Bryant used his wealth to develop a [sports academy](https://www.inquisitr.com/5858337/mamba-sports-academy/) for young athletes in his community. Here, money was used to achieve a positive goal. • Conversely, the European colonists enslaved generations of Africans in order to cut labour costs and maximise their profits to spend on goods from the New World. In this instance, the colonists’ desire to make more money in order to achieve their personal goals came at the expense of the slaves’ welfare. Thus, money is a morally neutral asset. The _true_ root of all evil lies within the selfish hearts of mankind, or rather those who choose to express their selfish desires through the use of their wealth.

It's not. Greed is.

I think true evil is causing harm for the sake of causing harm, so I would argue that money is almost never the reason for evil