1 Timothy 6:8 kjv
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1 Timothy 6:8 nkjv
And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
1 Timothy 6:8 niv
But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
1 Timothy 6:8 esv
But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
1 Timothy 6:8 nlt
So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
1 Timothy 6 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Tim 6:8 | And having food and covering, with these we will be content. | Direct parallel |
| Matt 6:25 | "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink..." | Contentment beyond provision |
| Matt 6:33 | "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." | God's provision for the seeking |
| Luke 3:14 | And the soldiers also asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not extort from anyone by violence, nor accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages." | Contentment with earthly pay |
| Phil 4:11 | Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: | Learned contentment |
| Phil 4:12 | I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In every way and in all circumstances I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having plenty and of suffering want. | Adaptable contentment |
| Heb 13:5 | Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." | Contentment and God's presence |
| Prov 30:8 | ...give me neither poverty nor riches, but feed me with the food that is needed, | Prayer for sufficiency |
| Prov 30:9 | lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and honor the name of my God. | Danger of excess/need |
| Deut 8:10 | "When you eat and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you." | Blessing after provision |
| Ps 37:16 | Better is the portion of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked. | Righteous portion over abundance |
| Ps 112:3 | Abundance and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. | Righteousness brings blessing |
| Jas 5:1-3 | Go to, now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your moths have eaten your garments. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be a testimony against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days. | Warning against wealth hoarding |
| Rom 12:1 | I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. | Spiritual offering |
| 1 Cor 10:31 | So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. | Glorifying God in daily acts |
| 2 Cor 9:8 | And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. | Abounding grace for good works |
| Prov 23:4-5 | Do not toil to acquire wealth; be of wisdom and cease from your own understanding. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, like an eagle toward the heavens. | Futility of wealth pursuit |
| Acts 2:44-45 | And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they began to sell their property and possessions and to divide them among all as anyone had need. | Shared resources |
| 1 John 2:15 | Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. | Avoid worldly attachment |
| Matt 13:22 | As for what was sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. | Danger of riches choking truth |
| 1 Cor 6:10 | nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. | Greed excluded from kingdom |
1 Timothy 6 verses
1 Timothy 6 8 Meaning
Having sustenance and protection allows one to be content and satisfied.
1 Timothy 6 8 Context
This verse appears in the closing chapter of Paul's first letter to Timothy. Paul is giving final instructions and warnings concerning false teachings and the proper conduct within the church at Ephesus. Chapter 6 addresses issues related to the love of money, the dangers of wealth, and the responsibilities of both the wealthy and the poor within the Christian community. The immediate context sets the stage for a discussion on contentment as a bulwark against the pitfalls associated with the pursuit of riches, which is a root of many evils. Paul is essentially encouraging believers to find their sufficiency and satisfaction in God and the provisions He grants, rather than in material possessions or the anxieties that accompany their acquisition or loss. This is particularly relevant in a culture where status and security were often tied to wealth.
1 Timothy 6 8 Word Analysis
- Now (Greek: νυν - nun): Indicates a present state or condition.
- Having (Greek: ἔχοντες - echontes): Present participle of echō (to have, hold, possess). This implies possession or having access to.
- Food (Greek: τροφοῦ - trōphou): Refers to sustenance, nourishment, provisions for life. It encompasses necessities for physical well-being.
- And (Greek: καὶ - kai): Conjunction connecting "food" and "covering."
- Covering (Greek: περιβόλαιον - peribolaion): Literally, "a wrapping around." It signifies clothing, a cloak, or anything that provides protection or covering, meeting basic needs for shelter and modesty.
- With (Greek: δι' ὧν - di' hōn): Literally "through these," "by means of these."
- These (Greek: τούτων - toutōn): Refers back to "food and covering."
- We (Greek: ἡμεῖς - hemeis): Pronoun referring to believers, specifically Paul and those with whom he identifies in ministry or faith.
- Will be content (Greek: ἀρκησόμεθα - arkēsometha): Future tense of arkeō (to be sufficient, to be content, to ward off). This signifies reaching a state of satisfaction and sufficiency.
Grouped Analysis:
- "Having food and covering": This phrase encapsulates basic, essential physical needs. It speaks of having enough to eat and appropriate clothing or shelter to protect oneself. The emphasis is on having what is necessary for physical survival and dignity, not on luxury or abundance.
- "With these we will be content": This statement articulates a state of contentment derived from meeting these fundamental needs. It suggests that true satisfaction is found not in accumulation, but in having just enough to sustain life. This contentment is a choice, a perspective learned and applied to one's circumstances, recognizing that these basic provisions are gifts from God.
1 Timothy 6 8 Bonus Section
The concept of contentment discussed here is deeply intertwined with the stewardship of resources and a detachment from greed. The early church practiced a form of communal living where needs were met (Acts 4:32-35), reflecting this principle of sufficiency over personal accumulation. Paul’s emphasis contrasts sharply with the Greco-Roman societal values that often equated a person’s worth and security with their wealth. He is reminding Timothy and the Ephesian church that true spiritual well-being transcends material circumstances, a vital message for combating the heresy that seemed to link piety with prosperity.
1 Timothy 6 8 Commentary
Paul presents a profound perspective on contentment grounded in appreciating the essential provisions of life. He teaches that having one's basic needs met—food for nourishment and covering for protection—is sufficient to lead a life of satisfaction. This contentment is not born out of the absence of desire, but rather from a heart that finds its ultimate fulfillment in God, not in material possessions. It’s a learned discipline, a conscious choice to be satisfied with God's provisions, which shields believers from the corrupting influence of materialism and the anxieties that accompany the relentless pursuit of more. True wealth lies in a spirit of contentment, not in overflowing coffers.