New King James Version
Galatians 6:8
8For 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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 him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. 7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 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. 9And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, 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 6:13And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
- 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 fulfill its lusts.
- James 3:18Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
- Proverbs 22:8He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.
- Jeremiah 12:13They have sown wheat but reaped thorns; They have put themselves to pain but do not profit. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”
- Hosea 10:13You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men.
- 2 Peter 2:12But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
- Revelation 22:11He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
- Galatians 6:7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
- Psalms 126:5Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
- Ecclesiastes 11:6In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.
- Isaiah 32:20Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.
- Matthew 19:29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
- Luke 18:30who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
- John 4:14but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries