The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 3:7 Explained

1 Corinthians 3:7

KJV: So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

YLT: so that neither is he who is planting anything, nor he who is watering, but He who is giving growth -- God;

Darby: So that neither the planter is anything, nor the waterer; but God the giver of the increase.

ASV: So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So  then neither  is  he that planteth  any thing,  neither  he that watereth;  but  God  that giveth the increase. 

What does 1 Corinthians 3:7 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 3:1-9 - Prosperity Comes From God
In all our relations with our fellow-men, Christ's followers must realize their obligations as members of one great family, with one God. A man may be in Christ, truly regenerate and forgiven for his past sins, and yet be carnal; that is, according to Romans 7:18, he may be ruled by me, I, self. The marks of this inward disposition are set out here. He is a babe who needs to be fed with milk, little and often, because unable to digest solid food. He is a sectarian, throwing contempt on those who do not belong to his own school of thought. He allows himself to be infected with jealousy and strife. Let us test our Christian life by these symptoms. Where are we? And if we are conscious that self has become enthroned as the governing motive of life, let us not rest till Christ takes its place.
It is not easy to learn that the planter or the waterer is just nothing at all, and that God is all. Let us think of ourselves only as God's instruments, and in a humble way as God's fellow-workers. It is a most helpful thought. Constantly when engaged in tilling the soil as evangelists or in building character as preachers and teachers, let us count on success, because of the all-power of our great Partner. He must give the policy and direction; it is our part to conform wholly to His will and guidance. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 3

1  Milk is fit for children
3  Strife and division, arguments of a fleshly mind
7  He who plants and He who waters are nothing
9  The ministers are God's fellow workmen
11  Christ the only foundation
16  You are the temples of God, which must be kept holy
19  The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 3:7

So then neither - neither - but [ωστε ουτεουτεαλλ]
Paul applies his logic relentlessly to the facts. He had asked what The answer is here. [source]
Neither is anything [τι]
(τι — ti) the one who plants nor the one who waters. God is the whole and we are not anything. [source]
the one who plants nor the one who waters []
. God is the whole and we are not anything. [source]
Anything []
The devoted Angelique Arnauld, of Port Royal, when her sister condoled with her on the absence of her confessor, Singlier, replied: “I have never put a man in God's place. He can have only what God gives him; and God gives him something for us only when it is His will that we should receive it through him.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 3:7

Galatians 6:3 To be something [εἶναί τι]
For the phrase see Acts 5:36; Acts 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:7; 1 Corinthians 10:19; Galatians 2:6; Galatians 6:15. [source]
1 Timothy 3:6 Novice [νεόφυτον]
N.T.oFrom νέος newand φυτόν aplant. Comp. 1 Corinthians 3:6, 1 Corinthians 3:7; Matthew 15:13. Hence, a new convert, a neophyte. Comp. in lxx Job 14:9; Psalm 127:3; Psalm 143:12; Isaiah 5:7. Chrysostom explains it as newly catechised ( νεοκατήχητος ); but a neophyte differed from a catechumen in having received baptism. Better the ancient Greek interpreters, newly baptized ( νεοβάπτιστος ). After the ceremony of baptism the neophytes wore white garments for eight days, from Easter eve until the Sunday after Easter, which was called Dominica in albis, the Sunday in white. The Egyptian archives of Berlin give νεόφυτος a Fayum papyrus of the second century A. D., of newly-planted palm trees. Comp. lxx, Psalm 127:3: “Thy sons as νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν plantsof olives.” [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 3:7 mean?

So neither the [one] planting is anything nor watering but [only] giving growth God
ὥστε οὔτε φυτεύων ἐστίν τι οὔτε ποτίζων ἀλλ’ αὐξάνων Θεός

ὥστε  So 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὥστε  
Sense: so that, insomuch that.
οὔτε  neither 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: οὔτε  
Sense: neither, and not.
  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
φυτεύων  planting 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: φυτεύω  
Sense: to plant.
τι  anything 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
οὔτε  nor 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: οὔτε  
Sense: neither, and not.
ποτίζων  watering 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ποτίζω  
Sense: to give to drink, to furnish drink.
ἀλλ’  but  [only] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἀλλά  
Sense: but.
αὐξάνων  giving  growth 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: αὐξάνω 
Sense: to cause to grow, augment.
Θεός  God 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.