θερίζω (therizō)
therizō
to reap
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 17 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb therizō means to harvest crops by cutting them down with a sickle or scythe. In the New Testament, it appears in literal agricultural contexts, such as when Jesus points to the fields ready for gathering in John 4:35-36, and in parables like the wheat and tares in Matthew 13. The word carries the physical reality of a season’s end, where labor is finished and the yield is collected.
Its theological weight emerges when Jesus uses it metaphorically to describe spiritual outcomes. In Galatians 6:7-8, he contrasts sowing to the flesh with reaping corruption, and sowing to the Spirit with reaping eternal life. This usage transforms a routine farming task into a clear statement about cause and effect in moral living. The harvest is not random; it corresponds directly to what was planted.
The term also appears in Revelation 14:15-16, where an angel commands the Son of Man to reap the earth, signaling final judgment. Here, the image shifts from blessing to evaluation, showing that reaping can mean gathering both for life and for consequence. Translators consistently use "reap" or "harvest," preserving the agricultural metaphor’s force across contexts.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word therizō describes the moment a season ends and the harvest is gathered. In ancient agriculture, this was not just a task but a critical deadline. If the crop was left too long, it spoiled; if gathered too early, it yielded nothing. This physical reality grounds our understanding of spiritual cause and effect. We do not reap randomly. The outcome matches what was planted, whether in fields or in our daily choices.
Jesus uses this image to show that labor has purpose. In John 4, He speaks of a harvest ready for gathering, inviting us to join those who have already prepared the ground. This is encouraging news. It means your efforts are not lost. Even when you cannot see the growth, the seed remains alive in God’s care. The harvest comes in due season, bringing fruit that lasts.
At the same time, this word carries a sobering weight. In Revelation and Galatians, reaping signifies accountability. What we sow to our own desires leads to decay, while what we sow to the Spirit leads to life. This is not about earning salvation, but about the natural result of how we live. It invites us to examine our hearts, trusting that God’s justice is fair and His timing is perfect.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 17 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- reaping3×
- will reap2×
- is reaping.2×
- you reap1×
- will reap?1×
- will reap.1×
- will reap,1×
- we will reap a harvest1×
- was harvested1×
- to reap,1×
- to reap1×
- they reap1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- θερίζων3×
- θερίσει2×
- θερίζων.2×
- θερίζουσιν2×
- ἐθερίσθη1×
- θέρισον,1×
- θερίσομεν;1×
- θερίσομεν1×
- θερίσει·1×
- θερίσει.1×
- θερίσει,1×
- θερίσαι,1×
Key Verses
-
John 4:36
He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit to eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
This verse highlights the shared joy between sower and reaper, showing that spiritual labor is a cooperative effort toward eternal life.
-
Galatians 6:8
For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Here the word defines the inevitable moral consequence of one’s actions, contrasting corruption with eternal life based on what was sown.
-
Revelation of John 14:15
Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Send your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!”
The command to reap signals a definitive moment of judgment, where the earth’s harvest is ripe and ready for evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does therizō mean in the New Testament?
Is reaping always about judgment?
How does this word relate to my daily life?
Every Occurrence (17 verses across 8 books)
Matthew 3 verses
See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds…
Matthew 25:24“He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you…
Matthew 25:26“But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where…