1 Corinthians 3:7

1 Corinthians 3:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
• New International Version (NIV)So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Context of 1 Corinthians 3:7

5Is Apollos important? Is Paul important? No! We are God's servants. We told you God's good news and you believed it. Each of us is doing the job which the Lord has given to us. 6When I told you God's good news, I was like someone who planted seeds. Then Apollos was like someone who gave water to the young plants. But it was God who caused everything to grow. The person who plants the seeds is not important. The person who gives water to the plants is not important. The important person is God, because he causes everything to grow. 8The person who plants and the person who gives water both have the same purpose. God will pay each person what is right for their work. 9Apollos and I work together as God's servants. You are like God's field that we work in. You are also like a building that belongs to God.

1 Corinthians 3:7 word by word

ὥστε οὔτε ὁ φυτεύων ἐστίν τι οὔτε ὁ ποτίζων, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ αὐξάνων θεός·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• So thenὥστεhōste · soG5620
• neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
• is heεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• that plantethφυτεύωphuteuō · to plantG5452
• any thingτιςtis · oneG5100
• he that waterethποτίζωpotizō · to waterG4222
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• that giveth the increaseαὐξάνωauxanō · to growG837

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 3:7

• 1 Corinthians 13:2I may be able to speak messages from God. I may understand all God's secret things, and know all the facts. I may have great faith so that I trust God enough to move mountains. But I am nothing if I do not love others.
• Psalms 115:1Lord, you are the one who deserves that people praise you. They should praise only you, not us! Because you love us with a faithful love, and you always do what you have promised.
• Isaiah 40:17All the nations in the world are not important to the Lord. He sees them as empty and useless.
• Isaiah 41:29Look! All the idols are useless. They can do nothing. Their images are as weak as a breath of wind.’
• Daniel 4:35All the people on the earth seem like nothing to him. He does whatever he wants among the angels in heaven, and among the people on the earth too. Nobody can stop him. Nobody can ask him, ‘Why are you doing that?’
• John 15:5I am the vine, and you are the branches. You must continue to live in me and I must continue to live in you. Only if you do that will you make plenty of fruit. That is because you can do nothing without me.
• 2 Corinthians 12:9But he said to me, ‘I will be kind to you and I will help you. That will be enough for you. When you are weak, I will show that I am completely powerful to help you.’ So I am happy to be proud about my weakness. Then I know that Christ's power will be with me.
• Galatians 6:3You must not think that you are too important to help other people. If you are not really so important, you are thinking a false thought.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7So then, neither is he that planteth any thing - God alone should have all the glory, as the seed is his, the ground is his, the laborers are his, and the produce all comes from himself.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Anything - This is to he taken comparatively. They are nothing in comparison with God! Their agency is of no importance compared with his: see the note at 1 Corinthians 1:28. It does not mean that their agency ought not to be performed; that it is not important, and indispensable in its place; but that the honor is due to God - Their agency is indispensable. God could make seed or a tree grow if they were not planted in the earth. But He does not do it…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-9Verses 5-9 The ministers about whom the Corinthians contended, were only instruments used by God. We should not put ministers into the place of God. He that planteth and he that watereth are one, employed by one Master, trusted with the same revelation, busied in one work, and engaged in one design. They have their different gifts from one and the same Spirit, for the very same purposes; and should carry on the same design heartily. Those who work hardest…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-9It is wrong to proudly identify as a follower of a human teacher because God does the real work of redemption. He deserves the honor. They are servants: See 2 Corinthians 4:5.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. neither is he that ... anything ... but God--namely, is all in all. "God" is emphatically last in the Greek, "He that giveth the increase (namely), God." Here follows a parenthesis, 1Co 3:8-21, where "Let no man glory in men" stands in antithetic contrast to "God" here.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 3:7

• Apollos
• Minister, Christian
• Partnership
• Power
• Regeneration
• Works
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Apollos
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Foundation
• Humility
• Plant
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Paul, the Apostle
• Wisdom

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings