| I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. | Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. |
| But godliness with contentment is great gain. | Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment. |
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| 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. | For we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. |
| Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” | Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” |
| I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. | I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. |
| That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. | Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. |
| The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating. | A fool's lips bring strife, and a fool's mouth invites a flogging. |
| Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. | The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity. |
| As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? | When goods increase, those who eat them increase; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes? |
| Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. | By insolence the heedless make strife, but wisdom is with those who take advice. |
| Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. | Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God. |
| The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. | Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. |
