Recently,
I have been thinking about the wide gap between the rich and the poor, and about
the high salaried job and the low salaried job. One could almost slip like
Asaph of Psalm 73 in disappointment and envy. A few days ago, when I was opening
my Bible as usual to read every day, my reading plan led me to 1 Timothy chapter
6. When I reached verse 8, I stopped and said aloud, “Wow!” It comforted my
soul that it is okay to be poor (to not have much). It confronted my soul that I
should learn to be contented with whatever I have. It convinced me to think
about it, meditate upon it, and commit it to my memory.
I
looked up different versions of the Bible to find out the best way to memorize
it. BTW, it’s easier to memorize the scripture than the scripture portion, (the
chapter and the verse). So, while I was trying to imprint chapter 6 verse 8 on
my heart, it made me curious about what other books of the Bible say in chapter
6 verse 8. And I went through every book of the Bible and was quite impressed. I
noted the books (along with chapter and verse) that I felt were relevant/
connected to 1 Timothy 6:8 by the way of application, explanation, assurance, or etc.
Look at what different
bible versions/translations have of 1 Timothy 6:8:
“And having food and clothing, with these we shall be
content.” 1 Timothy 6:8 [NKJV]
“If we have food and covering,
with these we shall be content.” 1 Timothy 6:8 [NASB]
“if we have bread on the table
and shoes on our feet, that's enough.” 1 Timothy 6:8 [MSG]
“So we should be well satisfied
without money if we have enough food and clothing.” 1
Timothy 6:8 [Living]
“But if we have food and a roof
over us, let that be enough.”
1
Timothy 6:8 [BBE]
“But if we have food and
shelter, we will be satisfied with that.” 1 Timothy 6:8 [NET]
“But if we have food and
clothing, with these we will be content.” 1
Timothy 6:8 [ESV]
Look at what many (not
all) books of the Bible [NKJV] have in chapter 6 verse 8:
“But Noah found grace
in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8
“And I will bring you
into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will
give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.” Exodus 6:8
“let a royal robe be
brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden,
which has a royal crest placed on its head.” Esther 6:8
“Oh, that I might have
my request, That God would grant me the thing that I long for!” Job 6:8
“Depart from me, all
you workers of iniquity; For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.” Psalms
6:8
“Also I heard the voice
of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here
am I! Send me.’” Isaiah 6:8
“He has shown you, O
man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To
love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8
“Therefore do not be
like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask
Him.” Matthew 6:8
“He commanded them to
take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in
their money belts—” Mark 6:8
“There is a lad here
who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so
many?” John 6:9
“And Stephen, full of
faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.” Acts 6:8
“Now if we died with
Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,” Romans 6:8
“For he who sows to his
flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of
the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Galatians 6:8
“knowing that whatever
good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave
or free.” Ephesians 6:8
“but if it bears thorns
and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.”
Hebrews 6:8
“So I looked, and
behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades
followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to
kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.” Revelation
6:8