"But godliness with contentment is great gain."
— 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)
1 Timothy 6:6 is the "godliness with contentment is great gain" verse. This page gives the verse, where it sits in 1 Timothy 6, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about contentment, Love and contentment, and Bible verses about money.
Free PDF
Get the free 30 Days of Love Verses PDF
Sign up for the daily Bible verse email, and get the free 30 Days of Love Verses PDF. 30 Days of Love Verses · Open the PDF
The verse
The King James reads the same: "But godliness with contentment is great gain."
"Godliness" is eusebeia (G2150), reverence for God lived out. "Contentment" is autarkeia (G841), having enough. "Gain" is porismos (G4200), a means of profit.
Where it sits in 1 Timothy 6
Paul is writing to Timothy about false teachers "who think that godliness is a means to financial gain" (1 Timothy 6:5). Verse 6 turns that idea around: godliness is gain, but only when it comes with contentment.
The next verses explain why: "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that" (1 Timothy 6:7-8). Then comes the warning: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10).
What the verse is saying
Paul uses the same word twice. The false teachers wanted godliness to bring them money. Paul says the real profit is a godly life that is satisfied with enough.
Contentment here is not laziness or giving up on work. It is a settled heart that does not need more to be at peace. Paul says the same thing about himself in Philippians 4:11, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances," and Hebrews 13:5 ties contentment to God's promise, "Never will I leave you." See Hebrews 13:5 and Philippians 4:13.
Questions people ask
What does 1 Timothy 6:6 say?
In the NIV and the KJV it says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain."
What does "godliness with contentment is great gain" mean?
It means a life that honors God and is satisfied with enough is worth more than wealth. Paul is answering people who used religion to get rich (1 Timothy 6:5).
What comes after 1 Timothy 6:6?
Verses 7 and 8 say, "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."
Is 1 Timothy 6:6 about money?
Yes, in context. The verses around it talk about false teachers seeking financial gain, the desire to get rich, and the love of money as "a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10).
What other verses talk about contentment?
Philippians 4:11-12 (learning to be content in every situation) and Hebrews 13:5 (keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have) are the closest companions.
