But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.
But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

There is a group or class of people who have the form of godliness and deny its power. They make looking like being good and kind a means of earthly gain. However, here the Apostle Paul condemns them because gain can only be realized with contentment through godliness.

True godliness, in walking with God, having a good conscience, gives contentment, no matter what earthly circumstances are. A believer who seeks the things above should no longer desire or need to hang on to earthly things, knowing that we brought nothing into the world nor will carry anything out.

If the eternal things, that promised glory, are ever real to us, then each will be content with having the necessary things, food, clothing and shelter. The warning if very true: the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, in that some covet after (which is idolatry: Colossians 3:5), causing them to wander from the faith and causing sorrow upon themselves and others.

Money itself is not evil, but the love of it is the fearful thing. Examples of this evil are all about us in the visible church, and “lovers of money” and “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” are constantly increasing; these all are heaping treasure together for the last days.