1 Corinthians 3:7
◄  1 Corinthians 3:7  ►
New International Version (©2011)
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

New Living Translation (©2007)
It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow.

English Standard Version (©2001)
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

International Standard Version (©2012)
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is significant, but God, who keeps everything growing, is the one who matters.

NET Bible (©2006)
So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
Therefore he who plants is nothing, neither is he who waters anything, but God who gives growth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is important because [only] God makes it grow.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase.

American King James Version
So then neither is he that plants any thing, neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase.

American Standard Version
So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore, neither he that planteth is any thing, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Darby Bible Translation
So that neither the planter is anything, nor the waterer; but God the giver of the increase.

English Revised Version
So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Webster's Bible Translation
So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase.

Weymouth New Testament
So that neither the planter nor the waterer is of any importance. God who gives the increase is all in all.

World English Bible
So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Young's Literal Translation
so that neither is he who is planting anything, nor he who is watering, but He who is giving growth -- God;

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:5-9 The ministers about whom the Corinthians contended, were only instruments used by God. We should not put ministers into the place of God. He that planteth and he that watereth are one, employed by one Master, trusted with the same revelation, busied in one work, and engaged in one design. They have their different gifts from one and the same Spirit, for the very same purposes; and should carry on the same design heartily. Those who work hardest shall fare best. Those who are most faithful shall have the greatest reward. They work together with God, in promoting the purposes of his glory, and the salvation of precious souls; and He who knows their work, will take care they do not labour in vain. They are employed in his husbandry and building; and He will carefully look over them.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - Anything. The planter and the waterer are nothing by comparison. They could do nothing without Christ's aid (John 15:16), and were nothing in themselves (2 Corinthians 12:11). But God that giveth the increase. The human instruments are nothing, but God is everything, because, apart from him, no result would follow.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

So then, neither is he that planteth anything,.... Not that he is the happy instrument of beginning the good work:

neither he that watereth; who is the means of carrying of it on: not that they are simply and absolutely nothing, without any restriction and limitation; they are men, they are Christians, they are ministers, and useful ones, by whom others believe; they are labourers together with God, ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God, and so to be accounted of; but they are nothing in themselves, nor in their own account, or with respect to God: they are nothing of themselves as ministers; they have nothing but what they have received; all their gifts are from God, nor can they exercise them aright without the grace of God, not being able to think a good thought as of themselves; nor are they anything in making their planting and watering effectual; and so no glory belongs to them; nothing is to be ascribed to them, they have no part or lot in these things:

but God that giveth the increase; he gives them their abilities, assists them in the exercise of their gifts, makes their ministrations useful, and he has, as he ought to have, all the glory.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7. neither is he that … anything … but God—namely, is all in all. "God" is emphatically last in the Greek, "He that giveth the increase (namely), God." Here follows a parenthesis, 1Co 3:8-21, where "Let no man glory in men" stands in antithetic contrast to "God" here.

1 Corinthians 3:7 Parallel Commentaries

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Paul and Apollos God's Fellow Workers
…6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7So then neither is he that plants any thing, neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase. 8Now he that plants and he that waters are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Psalm 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us-- yes, establish the work of our hands.
1 Corinthians 3:6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.
1 Corinthians 3:8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.
2 Corinthians 12:11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.