II Corinthians 9:6 · Bible study
2 Corinthians 9:6 Commentary: Sowing Bountifully
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does 2 Corinthians 9:6 promise material wealth or spiritual blessings? Study the meaning of the sowing metaphor with insights from Clarke, Barnes, Calvin.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Generous giving yields a generous harvest, both material provision and spiritual blessing, not a guaranteed prosperity.
- Key words: “Sparingly” (pheidomenōs), grudgingly; “bountifully” (ep’ eulogiais), literally “with blessings.”
- Main debate: Whether the promise is primarily material or spiritual; the supplied commentators affirm both earth and heaven.
- Theological theme: God’s economy of abundance; the giver is not impoverished but enriched for further good works.
- Best use: To motivate thoughtful, cheerful giving by reframing generosity as seed sown in God’s field, not money thrown away.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
KJV King James Version 1769
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
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:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Now this I say: He who soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly: and he who soweth in blessings shall also reap blessings.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Esto empero digo: El que siembra escasamente, también segará escasamente; y el que siembra en bendiciones, en bendiciones también segará.
Digo , porém isto, que o que semeia pouco, também pouco colherá; e o que semeia generosamente, também generosamente colherá.
Sachez-le, celui qui sème peu moissonnera peu, et celui qui sème abondamment moissonnera abondamment.
Ich meine aber das: Wer da kärglich sät, der wird auch kärglich ernten; und wer da sät im Segen, der wird auch ernten im Segen.
En dit zeg ik: Die spaarzamelijk zaait, zal ook spaarzamelijk maaien; en die in zegeningen zaait, zal ook in zegeningen maaien.
Or questo io dico: chi semina scarsamente mieterà altresì scarsamente; e chi semina liberalmente mieterà altresì liberalmente.
Ale tak mówię: Kto skąpo sieje, skąpo też żąć będzie; a kto obficie sieje, obficie też żąć będzie.
При сем скажу: кто сеет скупо, тот скупо и пожнет; а кто сеет щедро, тот щедро и пожнет.
「 少 種的 少 收， 多 種 的 多 收」，這話是真的。
But in the Writings it says, He who puts in only a small number of seeds, will get in the same; and he who puts them in from a full hand, will have produce in full measure from them.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Corinthians 9:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Paul’s farming metaphor is a general principle, not a guaranteed formula for material wealth. The verse sets a basic law: the size and spirit of giving corresponds to the size of the harvest, both in earthly provision and eternal reward. Matthew Henry calls it a “general rule.” Wesley says God “will proportion the reward to the work, and the temper whence it proceeds.” Clarke notes that almsgiving was commonly described as sowing among Jewish teachers, citing Hos 10:12 and Isa 32:20.
Barnes explains that the sower must not hoard his seed; it must be committed to the ground, and in due time it will return. Calvin clarifies that the harvest refers both to “the spiritual recompense of eternal life” and to “earthly blessings, which God confers upon the beneficent.” The Greek phrase for “bountifully,” ep’ eulogiais, means “with blessings”, pointing to a generous act accompanied by prayer and benediction (Vincent, JFB). The consensus holds that the crop corresponds to the quantity and the spirit of the seed sown (Bengel, via JFB).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The principle of proportionate harvest applies to generosity; the reaping includes God’s blessing in manifold ways, both material and spiritual.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the harvest | The harvest includes blessing from God: spiritual growth, eternal reward, and often material provision (Calvin, Barnes). | Some traditions emphasize the spiritual and eternal dimension more (Reformed), while others allow for proportionate material return as a normal part of God’s provision (Wesleyan). Both read the verse as a general principle, not a formula. |
| Meaning of 'bountifully' | The Greek phrase 'ep' eulogiais' connects generosity with blessing, the act itself and the attitude of the giver. | A few interpreters see it as referring only to the amount given; most (JFB, Vincent, Cambridge) insist it also describes the spirit or the prayerful context. |
| Application to non-monetary giving | All major commentaries apply the verse to financial almsgiving, especially the Jerusalem collection. | The verse is often generalized to all good works (sowing righteousness, time, talents), but the immediate context binds it to monetary offerings. Some see broader application as legitimate extrapolation. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The immediate context is Paul’s final instructions for the collection he organized among the Gentile churches for the impoverished believers in Jerusalem (chaps. 8, 9). The Corinthians had pledged a gift a year earlier (9:2), and Paul is urging them to follow through. He frames giving as an act of “blessing” (9:5) and contrasts it with “covetousness” or greediness.
The metaphor of sowing is rooted in the Old Testament wisdom tradition. Proverbs 11:18 promises that “one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward,” and Proverbs 11:24, 25 notes that scattering can lead to increase. Jewish interpreters regularly used “sowing” for almsgiving: the Talmud glosses “there is no sowing but alms” (Gill, citing the Talmud). This background would have been familiar to Paul’s readers, many of whom lived in an agrarian society. A farmer who scatters seed liberally across a field expects a harvest proportionate to his effort; a grudging sower gets a meager yield.
Paul adapts this common wisdom to teach about generosity. The very act of giving is like planting seed, it may seem to diminish the giver’s resources, but it actually places those resources into God’s field. Calvin observes that “whenever carnal reason keeps us back from doing good through fear of loss, we may immediately defend ourselves with this shield, ‘But the Lord declares that we are sowing.’” The harvest is not only material provision for the giver; it also includes the spiritual fruit of righteousness, thanksgiving to God, and the meeting of others’ needs (vv. 10, 14). The verse thus reorients the giver’s perspective from immediate loss to future, God-given abundance.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 2 Corinthians 9:6. The Greek reads consistently across manuscripts. The main variation is in translation style: some versions render the second clause as “with blessings” (YLT, Darby) rather than “bountifully,” reflecting the Greek noun eulogiais (blessings). This does not affect the meaning but clarifies the sense of generous, prayerful giving.
Reception History
Early church fathers, including Chrysostom, read the verse as an encouragement to generous almsgiving, praising Paul’s farming comparison because it shows that giving produces lasting fruit (Cambridge Bible). Through the medieval period, the verse was often cited to support the church’s care for the poor and the notion that charity is a seed that grows in the treasury of heaven. Reformation commentators (Calvin, Geneva Bible, Luther) emphasized that the harvest includes both temporal and eternal blessings, rejecting any view that limited it to earthly prosperity. Modern evangelical interpreters (Barnes, Clarke, Wesley) generally maintain this dual emphasis while cautioning against reducing the verse to a mechanical prosperity formula. In contemporary pastoral use, 2 Corinthians 9:6 is a staple of stewardship campaigns, but is also quoted in contexts of spiritual growth and sowing to the Spirit (Galatians 6:8).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The law of the harvest is universal. Just as a farmer expects to reap in proportion to his sowing, so every act of giving carries a corresponding outcome. The principle holds in both natural and spiritual realms.
- The manner of sowing matters. “Sparingly” (Greek adverb pheidomenos) suggests a reluctant, tight-fisted approach. “Bountifully” (literally “with blessings”) implies a generous spirit, even a prayerful one. The attitude is inseparable from the act.
- The harvest is both material and spiritual. Calvin explicitly says the recompense includes eternal life and earthly blessings. The sower does not simply get more money; he receives what God deems best, including increased capacity for good works (v. 8) and the joy of being part of redemptive provision.
Five-point outline
- I. The Context: Urgent Need (2 Cor 9:1, 5). Paul nudges the Corinthians to complete their pledged offering, bypassing a crisis of credibility.
- II. The Principle Sown and Reaped (v. 6). A universal agricultural truth applied to giving.
- III. The Heart of Giving (v. 7). Cheerful, purposeful, not coerced, because God loves a cheerful giver.
- IV. The Promise of God’s Provision (vv. 8, 10). God supplies seed to the sower and multiplies it, ensuring abundance for every good work.
- V. The Ultimate Harvest: Thanksgiving and Glory (vv. 11, 15). The gift meets needs and prompts prayers and praise to God.
Illustration hooks
- Garden plot contrast. A neighbor plants only a few tomato seeds, watering and weeding reluctantly; another fills the patch with seeds and tends it joyfully. In fall, one has a sparse basket, the other overflows. The difference is not luck but the initial act of sowing.
- Business investment risk. An entrepreneur chooses to reinvest profit into R&D rather than hoarding it. The outlay feels like loss, but it positions the business for long-term growth. Giving, like wise investment, defers immediate comfort for greater future return, trusting the Owner of all resources.
- Farmers’ waiting season. After planting, nothing is visible for weeks, the seed seems buried and wasted. Paul’s hearers knew that patience and trust in God’s natural order are part of the process; the same faith is required in the spiritual economy of giving.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse promise I will become rich if I give a lot?
- Should I expect a specific, measurable return on my offering?
- How do I know whether I am sowing “with blessings” or just trying to bargain with God?
Leading a Discussion
This verse pulls together two threads from Paul’s argument: the simple cause-and-effect of farming, and the deeper truth that giving is an act of faith. As you talk together, keep the verse in its original setting (a collection for famine relief) and resist the temptation to turn it into a prosperity formula. The goal is to help the group see how giving aligns with God’s generous character and advances His purposes.
Discussion questions
- Read 2 Corinthians 9:6 in three or four translations. What difference does the phrase “with blessings” (YLT, Darby) make for how you understand “bountifully”?
- Why do you think Paul uses the image of a farmer? What assumptions about effort, patience, and trust does this metaphor carry?
- Calvin says the harvest includes “the spiritual recompense of eternal life” as well as earthly blessings. How does that broaden your view of what “reaping” might look like?
- Barnes compares giving to “casting bread upon the waters” (Eccl 11:1). In what ways does that image challenge our fear of losing resources?
- How can a person determine whether they are giving “sparingly” or “bountifully”? Is it about amount, attitude, or both?
- What are some non‑monetary “seeds” (time, skills, hospitality) that God might be calling you to sow more liberally?
- How does this passage encourage those who have given generously but have not seen an obvious earthly return?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 41:1 | For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Blessed is he who considers the poor. Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil. |
| Psalms 41:3 | Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed, and restore him from his bed of illness. |
| Proverbs 11:18 | Wicked people earn deceitful wages, but one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. |
| Proverbs 11:24 | There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty. |
| Proverbs 11:25 | The liberal soul shall be made fat. He who waters shall be watered also himself. |
| Proverbs 19:17 | He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him. |
| Proverbs 22:9 | He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. |
| Ecclesiastes 11:1 | Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws a direct agricultural parallel: almsgiving is like sowing seed, and the harvest will match the sowing. He notes that Jewish teachers used "sowing" to mean helping the needy, so generosity toward others is seed that God will repay with mercy. The point is practical and proportional.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a farming analogy: giving to charity is like sowing seed. A stingy sower gets a small harvest, but a generous one can expect an abundant return. Money given to the poor or to religious causes is not lost; it will be repaid with increase, either in this life or in heaven.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin compares almsgiving to sowing seed, which appears lost but later yields a harvest. He argues that God counts gifts to the poor as given to Himself and repays them with abundant interest, both in this life and in eternal blessings. The more generously a person gives, the more God pours out blessing on them.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Chrysostom emphasizes that Paul calls giving "sowing" to teach that the giver receives back more than was given, just as a harvest exceeds the seed. The commentator also notes that "bountifully" literally means "with blessings."
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws a direct proportional link between how generously a person gives and what they receive in return. The measure of the harvest matches the measure of the sowing: sparse sowing yields a sparse crop, while liberal sowing yields a liberal harvest.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill roots Paul's farming metaphor in the Jewish tradition, where "sowing" consistently means giving alms. He explains that just as a farmer scatters seed widely and buries it in hope, the generous giver gives openly and privately, trusting that the harvest will match the sowing.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that "bountifully" captures both the giver's generous spirit and the abundance of the gift itself. The harvest matches not just the amount sown but the attitude behind it: a cheerful, open-handed sower will reap richly in kind.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that the manner of giving matters as much as the gift itself. Using the farmer's logic, he notes that sparse sowing yields a sparse harvest, so generous giving will be rewarded proportionally. The heart--deliberate and cheerful--is what God approves, not reluctant or forced donations.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Bountifully [ επ ευλογιαις] . Lit., with blessings. Compare 1 Co 9:10 , "plow in hope [ επ ελπιδι] ."
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley calls this a general rule: God matches the harvest to both the amount sown and the heart behind it. The reward is proportioned not merely to the outward act of giving but to the inner disposition, or "temper," from which the giving flows.