1 Corinthians 3:8

1 Corinthians 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
• New International Version (NIV)The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Context of 1 Corinthians 3:8

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. 7The 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. The 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. 10I am like a good builder. God has given that job to me and he has helped me to do it well. I was the person who built the foundation. Now other people are building on that foundation. But each person must be careful how he builds.

1 Corinthians 3:8 word by word

ὁ φυτεύων δὲ καὶ ὁ ποτίζων ἕν εἰσιν, ἕκαστος δὲ τὸν ἴδιον μισθὸν λήμψεται κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον κόπον.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• plantethφυτεύωphuteuō · to plantG5452
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• waterethποτίζωpotizō · to waterG4222
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• every manἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
• shall receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• his ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
• rewardμισθόςmisthos · wageG3408
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• labourκόποςkopos · laborG2873

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 3:8

• 1 Corinthians 3:9Apollos 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 4:6My Christian friends, I want to help you to understand these things. That is why I have used Apollos and myself as examples. You should learn from us what this means: ‘Obey what is written in the Bible.’ None of you should be proud of one leader and not respect another leader.
• John 4:36The workers are already bringing in the fruit and their master is paying them. As a result, people are receiving life for ever with God. So the person who plants the seeds will be very happy. And the person who brings in the fruit will also be very happy. Both of them will be happy together.
• 1 Corinthians 4:5So you should not decide about things before the time is right. Wait until the Lord comes again. He will show everything clearly. He will show the bad things that people have done secretly. He will show the secret purpose of people's thoughts. Then God will praise each person in a way that is right for them.
• 1 Corinthians 9:17If I were doing this work because I chose to do it, I would receive my pay. But I myself did not choose to do it. God has given me this work, so I have to do it.
• 1 Corinthians 15:58So you must continue to be strong in your spirits, my Christian friends that I love. Do not let anything move you away from your faith. Continue to work hard as you serve the Lord. You know that whatever you do for him will not be useless.
• Psalms 62:12And also, my Lord, you have a faithful love. You pay back to everybody what they should get for the things that they have done.
• Daniel 12:3People who are wise will shine like the bright sky. Those who help many people to do what is right will also shine brightly for ever. They will shine like the stars in the sky at night.
• Matthew 5:11Yes, happy are you when people say bad things against you because you believe in me. Or they may hurt you. Or they may say things about you that are not true.
• Matthew 10:41Somebody may accept a prophet into his home because the visitor is a prophet of God. God will bless that person like he blesses a prophet. Or he may accept a good man who obeys God, because the man is good. God will bless that person like he blesses the good man.
• Matthew 16:27I tell you all this because I, the Son of Man, will come back to this earth with God's angels. When I come, I will have the powerful beauty of my Father. I will see what each person has done on earth. Then I will pay them what is right.
• Romans 2:6He will give to each person what they ought to have because of the things that they have done.
• Galatians 6:7Nobody can hide the things that he does from God. Do not think a false thought like that! It is like a farmer who plants seeds in his field. The same kind of crops will grow as the seeds which he plants. That will be his harvest.
• Hebrews 6:10God is always right and fair. He will not forget all the good things that you have done. You have shown that you love him very much, because you have helped the other believers. And you continue to help them as God's servants.
• 1 Peter 5:4Then our master, Christ, will give you a beautiful crown when he appears. That is a great gift that will never become old or less beautiful. He is the great Shepherd who takes care of us.
• 2 John 1:8So be careful! Do not believe their lies. Do not lose the good things that we have worked for. Make sure that you receive all the good things that God has promised to give you.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8He that planteth and he that watereth are one - Both Paul and Apollos have received the same doctrine, preach the same doctrine, and labor to promote the glory of God in the salvation of your souls. Why should you be divided with respect to Paul and Apollos, while these apostles are intimately One in spirit, design, and operation? According to his own labor - God does not reward his servants according to the success of their labor, because that depends on…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Are one - ̔́ ̓ hen eisinThey are not the same person; but they are one in the following respects: (1) They are united in reference to the same work. Though they are engaged in different things - for planting and watering are different kinds of work, yet it is one in regard to the end to be gained. The employments do not at all clash, but tend to the same end. It is not as if one planted, and the other was engaged in pulling up. (2) their work is one…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. 88. one--essentially in their aim they are one, engaged in one and the same ministry; therefore they ought not to be made by you the occasion of forming separate parties. and every man--rather "but every man." Though in their service or ministry, they are essentially "one," yet every minister is separately responsible in "his own" work, and "shall receive his own (emphatically repeated) reward, according to his own labor." The reward is something over and…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 3:8

• Irrigation
• Judgment
• Minister, Christian
• Power
• Responsibility
• Reward
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Foundation
• Plant
• Accord; According; Accordingly
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Papyrus
• Paul, the Apostle
• Text and Manuscripts of the New Testament
• 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