Devine Scripture

John 4:36

What does John 4:36 mean?

A plain-English look at John 4:36 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What John 4:36 means

Jesus expands on the harvest metaphor, explaining that the reaper receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life. This emphasizes the lasting spiritual reward of evangelism and ministry. It highlights the collaborative nature of God's work, where both sowers (like Old Testament prophets) and reapers (like the disciples) share in the joy of seeing souls brought to salvation and eternal life, underscoring the spiritual significance of their labor.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

He who does the cutting now has his reward; he is getting together fruit for eternal life, so that he who did the planting and he who gets in the grain may have joy together.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`And he who is reaping doth receive a reward, and doth gather fruit to life age-during, that both he who is sowing and he who is reaping may rejoice together;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life everlasting: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

He that reaps receives wages and gathers fruit unto life eternal, that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together.

Context

This verse continues Jesus' agricultural metaphor, explaining the spiritual rewards of the harvest work He just mentioned. It flows directly from His urgent call to observe the fields "white already unto harvest" in verse 35. This explanation of wages and eternal fruit sets the stage for the following verse, which further elaborates on the cooperative nature of spiritual labor between different generations of workers.

v.35Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest.

v.36This passage

v.37For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • 1 Corinthians 9:19

    For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.

  • Romans 1:13

    And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest of the Gentiles.

  • Romans 6:22

    But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.

  • James 5:19

    My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him;

  • 1 Timothy 4:16

    Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.

  • Proverbs 11:30

    The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that is wise winneth souls.

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