6:8a

But: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But is the connecting word de. (See footnote 6 for more details about de.) However here it does not indicate a contrast with 6:7, but a sort of conclusion. Therefore in some languages, it may be better to start the verse with a connecting word like “so” or “therefore.” (Arichea and Hatton, page 148, also comment on this, saying: “It should be further noted that the connective used here can be literally rendered as ‘but’ or ‘and.’ If, however, this verse functions as an inference arising out of the assertion in verse 7, then a connective expressing inference or result would be preferable (as, for example, Good News Translation ‘So then,’ Phps ‘Surely, then’). In certain languages it is possible to restructure this verse as follows: ‘So then, we should be satisfied if we have (or, just to have) enough food and clothes.’”)

food: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as food includes drink as well.

clothing: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as clothing refers to anything that covers and protects people. It refers mainly to clothes, but it can also refer to housing. (See the definition in BAG of skepasma.)

6:8b

we will be content: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as we will be content is a future tense. However, Paul was probably saying that we should be content. (Kelly, page 137, says, “The future ‘we shall be content’ is unexpected, for an admonitory construction such as ‘we should be content’ would seem more in place. It may be that Paul is incorporating a proverbial tag without troubling to modify it. Alternatively, and more probably, the future may be a Hebraism with the force of an imperative.”) He meant that wealth does not bring happiness to people. Instead people will be happy when they are content with what God has provided. See the note on 6:6.

we: This again refers to Paul, Timothy, and the Ephesian believers.

General Comment on 6:8a–b

In some languages it will be better to reorder the verse. For example:

So we should be satisfied if we have enough food and clothes.
-or-
Therefore even if sufficient food and clothes are all that we have, we should be content.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.