Galatians 6 · Verse 8

Galatians 6:8

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Galatians 6:8, King James Version

Galatians 6:8 in other translations

BSB	The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
WEB	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.
ASV	For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.
YLT	because he who is sowing to his own flesh, of the flesh shall reap corruption; and he who is sowing to the Spirit, of the Spirit shall reap life age-during;
DARBY	For he that sows to his own flesh, shall reap corruption from the flesh; but he that sows to the Spirit, from the Spirit shall reap eternal life:
BBE	Because he who puts in the seed of the flesh will of the flesh get the reward of death; but he who puts in the seed of the Spirit will of the Spirit get the reward of eternal life.
Webster	For he that soweth to his flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall from the Spirit reap life everlasting.

What does Galatians 6:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

8. Translate, "He that soweth unto his own flesh," with a view to fulfilling its desires. He does not say, "His spirit," as he does say, "His flesh." For in ourselves we are not spiritual, but carnal. The flesh is devoted to selfishness. corruption--that is, destruction (Php 3:19). Compare as to the deliverance of believers from "corruption" (Ro 8:21). The use of the term "corruption" instead, implies that destruction is not an arbitrary punishment of fleshly-mindedness, but is its natural fruit; the corrupt flesh producing corruption, which is another word for destruction: corruption is the fault, and corruption the punishment (see on 1Co 3:17; 2Pe 2:12). Future life only expands the seed sown here. Men cannot mock God because they can deceive themselves. They who sow tares cannot reap wheat. They alone reap life eternal who sow to the Spirit (Psa 126:6; Pr 11:18; 22:8; Ho 8:7; 10:12; Lu 16:25; Ro 8:11; Jas 5:7).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 8. For he that soweth to his flesh. That makes provision for the indulgence of fleshly appetites and passions. Gal 5:19; and Gal 5:20-21. He who makes use of his property to give indulgence to licentiousness, intemperance, and vanity.

Shall of the flesh. From the flesh, or as that which indulgence in fleshly appetites properly produces. Punishment, under the Divine government, is commonly in the line of offences. The punishment of licentiousness and intemperance in this life is commonly loathsome and offensive disease; and, when long indulged, the sensualist becomes haggard, and bloated, and corrupted, and sinks into the grave. Such, also, is often the punishment of luxurious living, of a pampered appetite, of gluttony, as well as of intemperate drinking. But if the punishment does not follow in this life, it will be sure to overtake the sensualist in the world to come. There he shall reap ruin final and everlasting.

Corruption.

(1.) By disease.

(2.) In the grave--the home to which the sensualist rapidly travels.

(3.) In the world of woe. There all shall be corrupt. His virtue, even the semblance of virtue, shall all be gone. His understanding, will, fancy--his whole soul--shall be debased and corrupt. No virtue will linger and live on the plains of ruin, but all shah be depravity and woe. Everything in hell is debased and. corrupt; and the whole harvest of sensuality, in this world and the world to come, is degradation and defilement.

But he that soweth to the Spirit. He who follows the leading and cultivates the affections which the Holy Spirit would produce. Gal 5:22,23.

Shall of the Spirit. As the result of following the leading of the Spirit.

Reap life everlasting. Rom 2:7.

(b) "soweth to the flesh" Job 4:8, Prov 22:8, Hoss 8:7 (+) "corruption" "destruction" (c) "to the Spirit" Prov 11:18, Jas 3:18

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 8 He that soweth to his flesh - In like manner, he that sows to the flesh - who indulges his sensual and animal appetites, shall have corruption as the crop: you cannot expect to lead a bad life and go to heaven at last. According as your present life is, so will be your eternal life whether your sowing be to the flesh or to the Spirit, so will your eternal reaping be. To sow, here, means transacting the concerns of a man's natural life. To reap, signifies his enjoyment or punishment in another world. Probably by flesh and Spirit the apostle means Judaism and Christianity. Circumcision of the flesh was the principal rite of the former; circumcision in the heart, by the Spirit, the chief rite of the latter; hence the one may have been called flesh, the other, Spirit. He who rejects the Gospel, and trusts only in the rites and ceremonies of the law for salvation, will reap endless disappointment and misery. He who trusts in Christ, and receives the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, shall reap life everlasting.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 6:6-11

Many excuse themselves from the work of religion, though they may make a show, and profess it. They may impose upon others, yet they deceive themselves if they think to impose upon God, who knows their hearts as well as actions; and as he cannot be deceived, so he will not be mocked. Our present time is seed time; in the other world we shall reap as we sow now. As there are two sorts of sowing, one to the flesh, and…

Read the full comment on Galatians 6:6-11 →

Galatians 6:8 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὅτιhotiForG3754

ὁhothe [one]G3588

σπείρωνspeirōnsowingG4687

εἰςeistoG1519

τὴνtēntheG3588

σάρκαsarkafleshG4561

ἑαυτοῦhe'autouof himselfG1438

ἐκekfromG1537

τῆςtēstheG3588

σαρκὸςsarkosfleshG4561

θερίσειtheriseiwill reapG2325

φθοράν,phthorandecay,G5356

ὁhoThe [one]G3588

δὲdehoweverG1161

σπείρωνspeirōnsowingG4687

εἰςeistoG1519

τὸtotheG3588

πνεῦμαpneumaSpiritG4151

ἐκekfromG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

πνεύματοςpneumatosSpiritG4151

θερίσειtheriseiwill reapG2325

ζωὴνzōēnlifeG2222

αἰώνιον.aiōnioneternal.G166

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 6:8

Romans 8:13
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
James 3:18
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
2 Peter 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
Hosea 10:13
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.
Job 4:8
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Romans 6:21-22
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Romans 13:14
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Proverbs 22:8
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
John 4:36
And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Jude 1:21
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Revelation 22:11
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

soweth to his.
Ro 6:13; 8:13; 13:14; Jas 3:18
reap.
Pr 22:8; Jer 12:13; Ho 10:13; 2Pe 2:12,19; Re 22:11
soweth to the.
7; Ps 126:5,6; Ec 11:6; Isa 32:20; Jas 3:18
of the Spirit.
Mt 19:29; Lu 18:30; Joh 4:14,36; 6:27; Ro 6:22; 1Ti 1:16; Tit 3:7
Jude 1:21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Galatians 6:8
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Read all of Galatians 6

Galatians 6:8 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque el que siembra para su carne, de la carne segará corrupción; mas el que siembra para el Espíritu, del Espíritu segará vida eterna.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Car celui qui sème pour sa propre chair moissonnera de la chair la corruption; mais celui qui sème pour l’Esprit moissonnera de l’Esprit la vie éternelle.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn wer für sein eigenes Fleisch sät, wird von dem Fleische Verderben ernten; wer aber für den Geist sät, wird von dem Geiste ewiges Leben ernten.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quæ enim seminaverit homo, hæc et metet. Quoniam qui seminat in carne sua, de carne et metet corruptionem: qui autem seminat in spiritu, de spiritu metet vitam æternam.