New Living Translation
Galatians 6:8
8Those 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.
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 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.
Context of Galatians 6:8
6Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. 7Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 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. 9So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family 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 let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
- Romans 8:13For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
- Romans 13:14Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
- James 3:18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
- Proverbs 22:8Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end.
- Jeremiah 12:13My people have planted wheat but are harvesting thorns. They have worn themselves out, but it has done them no good. They will harvest a crop of shame because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”
- Hosea 10:13“But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies— trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe.
- 2 Peter 2:12These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed.
- Revelation 22:11Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.”
- Galatians 6:7Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
- Psalms 126:5Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.
- Ecclesiastes 11:6Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.
- Isaiah 32:20the Lord will greatly bless his people. Wherever they plant seed, bountiful crops will spring up. Their cattle and donkeys will graze freely.
- Matthew 19:29And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.
- Luke 18:30will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”
- John 4:14But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them 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
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