Verse Lens · Concise explanation
1 Timothy 6:8 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 8. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse names food and covering as a basic sufficiency horizon.
Godliness with enough is gain; religion as a wealth machine is not
This verse is one part of that explanation in 1 Timothy 6:3–10. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- 1 Timothy 6:3–10
Read 1 Timothy 6:8 with 6:3–10. This verse names food and covering as a basic sufficiency horizon. The complete unit establishes this movement: Teaching that rejects Christ's healthy words and treats godliness as profit produces conflict; true gain is godliness with contentment, because wealth cannot cross death and the desire to be rich traps and wounds people.
Why This Verse Appears Here
The letter moves from an unequal household economy to the motives and damage produced when religious teaching becomes a route to gain. Within that movement, this verse names food and covering as a basic sufficiency horizon.
Read 1 Timothy 6:3–10 together
Why these verses belong together: Unhealthy teaching, religious profit, contentment, mortality, basic provision, wealth desire, and money-love interpret one another.
Verse 3. 3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
Verse 4. 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
Verse 5. 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Verse 6. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Verse 7. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Verse 8. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
Verse 9. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
Verse 10. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“food and raiment”
In plain language: The pair represents basic provision, not a command to accept neglect or deny other human needs.
names food and covering as a basic sufficiency horizon. Enough includes material provision without making luxury the goal.
Why it matters: The wording helps identify this verse's distinct contribution to the complete unit.
How certain? strongWhat Remains True
Enough includes material provision without making luxury the goal.
How It Can Shape Life
- Support food, shelter, health, safety, and dignity.
Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read 1 Timothy 6:3–10 — Godliness Is Not a Profit SchemeSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing KJV wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: 1 Timothy 6:3–10, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, morphology targets, and base text for original-language discussion.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/1Tim.txt, 6:3–10
Open the 1 Timothy Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — 1 Timothy with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, textual alternatives, and interpretive notes.
Exact location: NET Bible official 1 Timothy PDF, 6:3–10 translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open the official NET 1 Timothy PDF ↗