John 4 · Verse 36

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.
John 4:36, King James Version

John 4:36 in other translations

BSBAlready the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.
WEBHe who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit to eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
ASVHe that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
YLT‘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;
DARBYHe that reaps receives wages and gathers fruit unto life eternal, that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together.
BBEHe 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.
WebsterAnd he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit to life eternal: that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, may rejoice together.

What does John 4:36 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 4:31-38

31-38. meantime--that is, while the woman was away. Master, eat--Fatigue and thirst we saw He felt; here is revealed another of our common infirmities to which the Lord was subject--hunger.

Read the full comment on John 4:31-38 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 36. He that reapeth. He that gathers the harvest, or he who so preaches that souls are converted to Christ.

Receiveth wages. The labourer in the harvest receives his hire. Jesus says it shall be thus with those who labour in the ministry--he will not suffer them to go unrewarded. See Dan 12:3, Mt 19:28.

Gathereth fruit unto life eternal. Converts souls, who shall inherit eternal life. The harvest is not temporary, like gathering grain, but shall result in eternal life.

That both he that soweth, &c. It is a united work. It matters little whether we sow the seed or whether we reap the harvest. It is part of the same work, and whatever part we may do, we should rejoice. God gives the increase, while Paul may plant and Apollos water. The teacher in the Sunday-school, who sows the seed in early life, shall rejoice with the minister of the gospel who may gather in the harvest, and both join in giving all the praise to God.

(w) "gathereth" Rom 6:22 (x) "both he that soweth" 1Cor 3:5-9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages - Or, And already the reaper receiveth wages. By making the word ηδη, already, the beginning of this verse, on the authority of some excellent MSS. and versions, a more consistent sense is obtained than from the common arrangement, where ηδη terminates the preceding verse. Already the heavenly sower, Jesus Christ, becomes the reaper of the produce of the seed which he had so lately sown; and receives the wages which he desired, the high gratification of saving immortal souls; and gathers in his fruit unto eternal life. So the sower and the reaper, who are here one and the same person, rejoiced together, having seen the seed time and the harvest take place on the same day. The sower had not time to leave the field which he had sown, till it was full time to gather in the harvest!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 4:27-42

The disciples wondered that Christ talked thus with a Samaritan. Yet they knew it was for some good reason, and for some good end. Thus when particular difficulties occur in the word and providence of God, it is good to satisfy ourselves that all is well that Jesus Christ says and does. Two things affected the woman. The extent of his knowledge. Christ knows all the thoughts, words, and actions, of all the children…

Read the full comment on John 4:27-42 →

John 4:36 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.

ὁhothe [one]G3588
θερίζωνtherizōnreapingG2325
μισθὸνmisthona rewardG3408
λαμβάνειlambaneireceivesG2983
καὶkaiandG2532
συνάγειsunageihe gathersG4863
καρπὸνkarponfruitG2590
εἰςeisuntoG1519
ζωὴνzōēnlifeG2222
αἰώνιον,aiōnioneternal,G166
ἵναinaso thatG2443
ὁhowhoG3588
σπείρωνspeirōnis sowingG4687
ὁμοῦhomoutogetherG3674
χαίρῃchairēmay rejoiceG5463
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhowhoG3588
θερίζων.therizōnis reaping.G2325

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

Cross references for John 4:36

  • James 5:19-20

    Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

  • 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

    Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. …

  • Romans 1:13

    Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

  • Proverbs 11:30

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

  • 2 Timothy 4:7-8

    I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

  • Daniel 12:3

    And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

  • Romans 6:22

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

  • 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

    For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. …

  • Philippians 2:15-16

    That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

  • 1 Timothy 4:16

    Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:19

    For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he that reapeth receiveth.
Pr 11:30; Da 12:3; Ro 1:13; 6:22; 1Co 9:19-23; Php 2:15,16; 1Th 2:19
1Ti 4:16; 2Ti 4:7,8; Jas 5:19,20
both he that.
1Co 3:5-9

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

Context

  • John 4:35

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

  • 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.

  • John 4:37

    And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

Read all of John 4

John 4:36 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el que siega, recibe salario, y allega fruto para vida eterna; para que el que siembra también goce, y el que siega.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Celui qui moissonne reçoit un salaire et assemble du fruit en vie éternelle; afin que, et celui qui sème et celui qui moissonne, se réjouissent ensemble.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der da erntet, empfängt Lohn und sammelt Frucht zum ewigen Leben, auf daß beide, der da sät und der da erntet, zugleich sich freuen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et qui metit, mercedem accipit, et congregat fructum in vitam æternam: ut et qui seminat, simul gaudeat, et qui metit.