1 Timothy 6:19 (DBY)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

1 Timothy 6:17 Enjoin on those rich in the present age not to be high-minded, nor to trust on the uncertainty of riches; but in the God who affords us all things richly for [our] enjoyment;

1 Timothy 6:18 to do good, to be rich in good works, to be liberal in distributing, disposed to communicate [of their substance],

1 Timothy 6:19 laying by for themselves a good foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of [what is] really life.

1 Timothy 6:20 O Timotheus, keep the entrusted deposit, avoiding profane, vain babblings, and oppositions of false-named knowledge,

1 Timothy 6:21 of which some having made profession, have missed the faith. Grace [be] with thee.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "laying", "themselves", "good", "foundation", "future", "hold", "really", and "life". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "laying" and "themselves", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "to do good to be rich in..." into verse 20's "O Timotheus keep the entrusted deposit avoiding...", so "laying" and "themselves" belong inside that flow. In 1 Timothy context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "laying" and "themselves" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.