English Standard Version
Galatians 6:8
8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Galatians 6:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
- New International Version (NIV)Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
Context of Galatians 6:8
6Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Read all of Galatians 6Galatians 6:8 word by word
ὅτι ὁ σπείρων εἰς τὴν σάρκα ἑαυτοῦ ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς θερίσει φθοράν, ὁ δὲ σπείρων εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος θερίσει ζωὴν αἰώνιον.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- he thatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- sowethσπείρωspeirō · to sowG4687
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- hisἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- shallθερίζωtheridō · to reapG2325
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- corruptionφθοράphthora · corruptionG5356
- butδέde · thenG1161
- the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
- everlastingαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
Cross-references for Galatians 6:8
- Romans 6:13Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
- Romans 8:13For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
- Romans 13:14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
- James 3:18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
- Proverbs 22:8Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.
- Jeremiah 12:13They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the Lord."
- Hosea 10:13You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors,
- 2 Peter 2:12But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction,
- Revelation 22:11Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy."
- Galatians 6:7Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
- Psalms 126:5Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
- Ecclesiastes 11:6In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
- Isaiah 32:20Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.
- Matthew 19:29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
- Luke 18:30who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life."
- John 4:14but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Commentaries on Galatians 6:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8He that soweth to his flesh - In like manner, he that sows to the flesh - who indulges his sensual and animal appetites, shall have corruption as the crop: you cannot expect to lead a bad life and go to heaven at last. According as your present life is, so will be your eternal life whether your sowing be to the flesh or to the Spirit, so will your eternal reaping be. To sow, here, means transacting the concerns of a man's natural life. To reap, signifies…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8For he that soweth to his flesh - That makes provision for the indulgence of fleshly appetites and passions; see the notes at Galatians 5:19-21. He who makes use of his property to give indulgence to licentiousness, intemperance, and vanity. Shall of the flesh - From the flesh, or as that which indulgence in fleshly appetites properly produces. Punishment, under the divine government, is commonly in the line of offences. The punishment of licentiousness…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 6-11 Many excuse themselves from the work of religion, though they may make a show, and profess it. They may impose upon others, yet they deceive themselves if they think to impose upon God, who knows their hearts as well as actions; and as he cannot be deceived, so he will not be mocked. Our present time is seed time; in the other world we shall reap as we sow now. As there are two sorts of sowing, one to the flesh, and the other to the Spirit, so…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Living to please the Spirit is only possible with the Spirit's power (3:3; 5:16). People who rely on their own efforts or do whatever they want are in the same situation: They live to satisfy their own sinful desires. These people will face decay and death. Those who live by the Spirit's power and trust in God will gain everlasting life.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Translate, "He that soweth unto his own flesh," with a view to fulfilling its desires. He does not say, "His spirit," as he does say, "His flesh." For in ourselves we are not spiritual, but carnal. The flesh is devoted to selfishness. corruption--that is, destruction (Php 3:19). Compare as to the deliverance of believers from "corruption" (Ro 8:21). The use of the term "corruption" instead, implies that destruction is not an arbitrary punishment of…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 6:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Galatians 6
- 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
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries