The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 9:6 Explained

2 Corinthians 9:6

KJV: But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

YLT: And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;

Darby: But this is true, he that sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sows in the spirit of blessing shall reap also in blessing:

ASV: But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Discover 2 Corinthians 9:6

CONTEXT: What is the Context of 2 Corinthians 9:6?

MEANING: What does 2 Corinthians 9:6 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 9:6 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in 2 Corinthians 9:6?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  this  [I say], He which soweth  sparingly  shall reap  also  sparingly;  and  he which soweth  bountifully  shall reap  also  bountifully. 

What does 2 Corinthians 9:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

One of the great spiritual principles of life is that God blesses people in proportion to their blessing others (cf. Proverbs 11:24-25; Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 22:8-9; Luke 6:38; Galatians 6:7). Paul reminded his readers of this here by citing the example of the farmer. If he plants little, he harvests little; but if he plants much, he will harvest much. Giving to meet the needs of others is like sowing seed. It will yield fruit of the same kind in time. There will be a profit.
"The important lesson which Paul is urging upon the Corinthians at this point is that to give is to sow. What is given is not lost, but, like the seed sown by the farmer, contrary to all appearances it possesses the potency of life and increase. At the same time it is important to remember that, as the whole context shows, the Apostle is speaking of the quality, not the quantity, of giving." [1]
Is a proper motive for giving to get something in return? Both Jesus and Paul urged us to lay up treasure in heaven, to make investments counting on the fact that they will yield eternal rewards ( Luke 12:31-34; Matthew 6:19-21; 1 Timothy 6:18-19; cf. Proverbs 19:17; Matthew 10:42; Luke 6:38). It is perfectly legitimate to remind people of the inevitable consequences of their actions to motivate them to do what is right, as Paul did here.

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 9:1-7 - "god Loveth A Cheerful Giver"
Paul evidently had considerable anxiety about the collection at Corinth for the starving saints at Jerusalem. He had started the idea, not merely because of his affection toward his own people, but in order to promote and foster the unity of the Church of Christ. There could be no greater evidence of the transforming power of the gospel than that it should obliterate the strongly-marked differences between East and West, between Jew and Gentile, and make it clear that Christ is all in all Paul does not, therefore, urge and entreat the Corinthians so much as he reminds them of his confidence in their response. No motive is so potent as the sense that a worthy response is expected of us by one whom we revere and love.
He likens money-giving to seed-sowing. What was placed in the collection box would assuredly return to the giver with large increase. Christians, therefore, should not give grudgingly, or of necessity, but freely, spontaneously, generously, as the farmer, who does not hesitate to dip his hand deeply into his granaries, expecting, as he does, that every additional atom of grain scattered will come back to him augmented certainly to thirty-fold and perhaps to a hundred-fold. You will meet again somewhere and sometime every coin that you have given with a pure heart. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 9

1  He yields the reason why he sent Titus and his brothers beforehand
6  And he proceeds in stirring them up to a bountiful alms, as being but a kind of sowing of seed,
10  which shall return a great increase to them,
13  and occasion a great sacrifice of thanksgivings unto God

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 9:6

Sparingly [πειδομενως]
Late and rare adverb made from the present middle participle πειδομενος — pheidomenos from πειδομαι — pheidomai to spare. It occurs in Plutarch (Alex. 25). [source]
Bountifully [ἐπ ' εὐλογίαις]
Lit., with blessings. Compare 1 Corinthians 9:10, “plow in hope ( ἐπ ' ἐλπίδι ).” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 9:6

2 Corinthians 9:9 He hath dispersed abroad [ἐσκόρπισεν]
As in sowing, 2 Corinthians 9:6. Psalm 112:9. Almost literally after the Hebrew and Septuagint. [source]
Galatians 6:7 Is not mocked [οὐ μυκτηρίζεται]
N.T.oQuite often in lxx. See 1 Kings 18:27; 2 Kings 19:21; Job 22:19; Proverbs 1:30. Also the noun μυκτηρισμός mockery Job 34:7; Psalm 34:16. See Ps. of Matthew href="/desk/?q=mt+7:16&sr=1">Matthew 7:16; 2 Corinthians 9:6. [source]
Galatians 6:7 God is not mocked [ου μυκτηριζεται]
This rare verb (common in lxx) occurs in Lysias. It comes from μυκτηρ — muktēr (nose) and means to turn the nose up at one. That is done towards God, but never without punishment, Paul means to say. In particular, he means “an evasion of his laws which men think to accomplish, but, in fact, cannot” (Burton). Whatsoever a man soweth (ο εαν σπειρηι αντρωπος — ho ean speirēi anthrōpos). Indefinite relative clause with εαν — ean and the active subjunctive (either aorist or present, form same here). One of the most frequent of ancient proverbs (Job 4:8; Arist., Rhet. iii. 3). Already in 2 Corinthians 9:6. Same point in Matthew 7:16; Mark 4:26. That That very thing, not something different. Reap (τερισει — therisei). See Matthew 6:26 for this old verb. [source]
Galatians 6:7 Whatsoever a man soweth [ο εαν σπειρηι αντρωπος]
Indefinite relative clause with εαν — ean and the active subjunctive (either aorist or present, form same here). One of the most frequent of ancient proverbs (Job 4:8; Arist., Rhet. iii. 3). Already in 2 Corinthians 9:6. Same point in Matthew 7:16; Mark 4:26. [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 9:6 mean?

This now The [one] sowing sparingly also will reap and upon blessings
Τοῦτο δέ ὁ σπείρων φειδομένως καὶ θερίσει καὶ ἐπ’ εὐλογίαις

Τοῦτο  This 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
δέ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὁ  The  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὁ  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σπείρων  sowing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπισπείρω 
Sense: to sow, scatter, seed.
φειδομένως  sparingly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: φειδομένως  
Sense: sparingly.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
θερίσει  will  reap 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: θερίζω  
Sense: to reap, harvest.
ἐπ’  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
εὐλογίαις  blessings 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: εὐγλωττία 
Sense: praise, laudation, panegyric: of Christ or God.

What are the major concepts related to 2 Corinthians 9:6?

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Similar Scriptures for 2 Corinthians 9:6

Proverbs 11:24-25 [20]
Luke 6:38 [19]
Proverbs 22:9 [15]
Proverbs 19:17 [12]
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Galatians 6:7-9 [10]
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