2 Corinthians 9:6

2 Corinthians 9:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
• New International Version (NIV)Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Context of 2 Corinthians 9:6

4We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! 5So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly. Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

2 Corinthians 9:6 word by word

τοῦτο δέ, ὁ σπείρων φειδομένως φειδομένως καὶ θερίσει, καὶ ὁ σπείρων ἐπ᾽ εὐλογίαις ἐπ᾽ εὐλογίαις καὶ θερίσει.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• Heὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• which sowethσπείρωspeirō · to sowG4687
• sparinglyφειδομένωςpheidomenōs · sparinglyG5340
• shall reapθερίζωtheridō · to reapG2325
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• ·ἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• bountifullyεὐλογίαeulogia · praiseG2129

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 9:6

• 1 Corinthians 1:12Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”
• 1 Corinthians 7:29But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage.
• 1 Corinthians 15:20But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
• Galatians 3:17This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise.
• Galatians 5:16So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
• Ephesians 4:17With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
• Colossians 2:4I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments.
• 2 Corinthians 9:10For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
• Psalms 41:1Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.
• Proverbs 11:18Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.
• Proverbs 19:17If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!
• Proverbs 22:9Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.
• Ecclesiastes 11:1Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.
• Luke 6:38Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
• Luke 19:16The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’
• Galatians 6:7Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 9:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6He which soweth sparingly - This is a plain maxim: no man can expect to reap but in proportion as he has sowed. And here almsgiving is represented as a seed sown, which shall bring forth a crop. If the sowing be liberal, and the seed good, the crop shall be so too. Sowing is used among the Jews to express almsgiving: so they understand Isaiah 32:20; : Blessed are ye who sow beside all waters; i.e. who are ready to help every one that is in need. And Hosea…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6But this I say - This I say in order to induce you to give liberally. This I say to prevent your supposing that because it is to be a voluntary offering you may give only from your superfluity, and may give sparingly. He which soweth sparingly - This expression has all the appearance of a proverb, and doubtless is such. It does not occur indeed elsewhere in the Scriptures, though substantially the same sentiment exciting to liberality often occurs; see…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-15Verses 6-15 Money bestowed in charity, may to the carnal mind seem thrown away, but when given from proper principles, it is seed sown, from which a valuable increase may be expected. It should be given carefully. Works of charity, like other good works, should be done with thought and design. Due thought, as to our circumstances, and those we are about to relieve, will direct our gifts for charitable uses. Help should be given freely, be it more or less…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Paul uses farming to show how generosity pays off. A farmer who wants a big harvest must plant many seeds.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. I say--Ellicott and others supply the ellipsis thus: "But remember this." bountifully--literally, "with," or "in blessings." The word itself implies a beneficent spirit in the giver (compare 2Co 9:7, end), and the plural implies the abundance and liberality of the gifts. "The reaping shall correspond to the proportions and spirit of the sowing" [Bengel]. Compare Eze 34:26, "Showers of blessing."Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 9:6

• Agriculture
• Alms
• Beneficence
• Botany
• Giving
• Liberality
• Poor
• Seed

In the dictionaries

• Administration
• Boast
• Philippians, Epistle to
• Thanks
• Bountifulness; Bounty
• Church
• Church Government
• Collection
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Grace

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 9

• 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