John 4:37
New International Version
Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true.

New Living Translation
You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true.

English Standard Version
For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’

Berean Standard Bible
For in this case the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true.

Berean Literal Bible
For in this, the saying is true, that is, 'One is sowing, and another is reaping.'

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

New King James Version
For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’

New American Standard Bible
For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’

NASB 1995
“For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’

NASB 1977
“For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’

Legacy Standard Bible
For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’

Amplified Bible
For in this case the saying is true, ‘One [person] sows and another reaps.’

Christian Standard Bible
For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For in this case the saying is true: One sows and another reaps.’

American Standard Version
For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

Contemporary English Version
So the saying proves true, "Some plant the seed, and others harvest the crop."

English Revised Version
For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In this respect the saying is true: 'One person plants, and another person harvests.'

Good News Translation
For the saying is true, 'Someone plants, someone else reaps.'

International Standard Version
In this respect the saying is true: 'One person sows, and another person harvests.'

Majority Standard Bible
For in this case the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true.

NET Bible
For in this instance the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.'

New Heart English Bible
For in this the saying is true, 'One sows, and another reaps.'

Webster's Bible Translation
And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

Weymouth New Testament
For it is in this that you see the real meaning of the saying, 'The sower is one person, and the reaper is another.'

World English Bible
For in this the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for in this the saying is the true one, that one is the sower and another the reaper.

Berean Literal Bible
For in this, the saying is true, that is, 'One is sowing, and another is reaping.'

Young's Literal Translation
for in this the saying is the true one, that one is the sower and another the reaper.

Smith's Literal Translation
For in this the word is true, That one is sowing, and another reaping.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For in this is the saying true: That it is one man that soweth, and it is another that reapeth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For in this the word is true: that it is one who sows, and it is another who reaps.

New American Bible
For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’

New Revised Standard Version
For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For in this case the saying is true, One sows and another reaps.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For in this is a word of truth, that 'One sows and another reaps.'
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For in this is the saying true, One sows and another reaps.

Godbey New Testament
For in this the word is true, that there is one sowing, and another reaping.

Haweis New Testament
For herein is the saying true, That one soweth and another reapeth.

Mace New Testament
upon this occasion, that saying is verified, "one soweth, and another reapeth."

Weymouth New Testament
For it is in this that you see the real meaning of the saying, 'The sower is one person, and the reaper is another.'

Worrell New Testament
For in this is the saying true, 'One sows, and another reaps.'

Worsley New Testament
for herein the saying is verified, that one soweth, and another reapeth,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Disciples Return and Marvel
36Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. 37For in this case the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor.”…

Cross References
1 Corinthians 3:6-9
I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. / So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. / He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. ...

Matthew 9:37-38
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. / Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”

Galatians 6:7-9
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. / 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. / Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

James 5:7
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.

Matthew 13:37-43
He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. / The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, / and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. ...

Mark 4:26-29
Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. / Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. / All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. ...

Luke 10:2
And He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.

John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

Romans 1:13
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

Psalm 126:5-6
Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. / He who goes out weeping, bearing a trail of seed, will surely return with shouts of joy, carrying sheaves of grain.

Isaiah 55:10-11
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, / so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.

Ecclesiastes 11:4-6
He who watches the wind will fail to sow, and he who observes the clouds will fail to reap. / As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. / Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.

Proverbs 11:18
The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.

Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.


Treasury of Scripture

And herein is that saying true, One sows, and another reaps.

One.

Judges 6:3
And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

Micah 6:15
Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

Luke 19:21
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

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Case Gets Grain Herein Holds Meaning Planting Real Reaper Reapeth Reaps Sower Soweth Sows Verified True.
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Case Gets Grain Herein Holds Meaning Planting Real Reaper Reapeth Reaps Sower Soweth Sows Verified True.
John 4
1. Jesus talks with a woman of Samaria, and reveals his identity to her.
27. His disciples marvel.
31. He declares to them his zeal for God's glory.
39. Many Samaritans believe on him.
43. He departs into Galilee, and heals the ruler's son that lay sick at Capernaum.














For in this case
This phrase introduces a specific application of a general principle. The Greek word used here, "ἐν τούτῳ" (en toutō), indicates a particular situation or instance. In the context of John 4, Jesus is speaking to His disciples about the spiritual harvest that is occurring as a result of His conversation with the Samaritan woman. This phrase sets the stage for understanding that what follows is a timeless truth being demonstrated in a real-life scenario.

the saying
The term "saying" refers to a common proverb or adage. In Greek, "ὁ λόγος" (ho logos) can mean a word, statement, or message. This indicates that Jesus is referencing a well-known truth or principle that His audience would recognize. The use of a proverb here underscores the universality and timelessness of the truth being conveyed.

One sows
The act of sowing involves planting seeds with the expectation of future growth and harvest. The Greek word "σπείρων" (speirōn) is used here, which is a present participle, suggesting ongoing action. In the spiritual context, sowing represents the work of sharing the Gospel or planting seeds of faith. Historically, sowing was a labor-intensive task, requiring patience and hope for the future. This imagery is powerful in illustrating the initial efforts of evangelism and ministry.

and another reaps
Reaping is the act of gathering the mature crops that have grown from the seeds sown. The Greek word "θερίζων" (therizōn) is also a present participle, indicating continuous action. In the spiritual sense, reaping refers to the gathering of souls into the Kingdom of God, often by those who did not originally sow the seeds. This highlights the collaborative nature of ministry, where different individuals may play different roles in the process of spiritual growth and harvest.

is true
The phrase "is true" affirms the validity and reliability of the saying. The Greek word "ἀληθινός" (alēthinos) means genuine, real, or true. Jesus is emphasizing that this principle is not only a common saying but a profound truth that applies to the spiritual realm. It reassures believers that their efforts in sowing are not in vain, even if they do not see immediate results, as others may come to reap the harvest.

(37) Herein is that saying true--i.e., in the deeper sense of the word true (comp. Note on John 1:9)--has its realisation; is ideally true. The proverb itself was known both to the Greeks and to the Romans (sec examples in Schottgen and Lampe), but the reference is probably to the Old Testament Scriptures. Those who heard it would certainly think of such passages as Deuteronomy 6:11, or Isaiah 65:21-22. The saying expressed something of the bitterness of human disappointment, which in darker moments all men have felt. They have sown in hopes and plans and works, which have never sprung above the surface, or have been reaped in their results by other men; or they themselves have passed away before the harvest has come. This is as men see it, but this is not the ideal truth. The saying is realised in the relation between sower and reaper, which was true then, and holds true of every sower who really sows the good seed. He, too, has a daily work and a daily sustenance in the will of Him that sent him. In the inner consciousness of that work being done, and the hope of its completion, he has food no less real than that of him who reaps the harvest. That he stands alone is the result of his rising above his generation; that he is little understood, or rewarded, by those for whom he works, will be a disappointment to his friends, but, in his truest thoughts, not to himself. His satisfaction will be hard for men to understand. "Surely no one has brought him to eat!" "I have food to eat that ye know not of." Men smile at this as sentiment or enthusiasm, but this food has been the strength of the best lives, and noblest deeds, of humanity.

Verse 37. - For herein - in this harvest field, already whitening before your eyes - is the word veritably realized - it finds an ideal illustration of its meaning - One is the sower, and another is the reaper. It belongs to all common experience in such things; the first stone is laid by one, the topstone by another. The toil and tears of the sower with the precious seed are often the reason why another returns with joy, bringing his sheaves with him. It is an all-but universal law. Children inherit the toil of their fathers. We all stand where the shoulders of the mighty dead have lifted us. Still, though one be the sower and another is the reaper in this Samaritan field, yet, since "already" the reaper is busy with the sickle, the sower and reapers may rejoice together. The law will be established on a grander scale by and by, when the great Sower, who is the Lord of the harvest, shall send forth all his reapers to their great enterprise, and he and they will rejoice together.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

this case
τούτῳ (toutō)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

saying
λόγος (logos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

‘One
Ἄλλος (Allos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 243: Other, another (of more than two), different. A primary word; 'else, ' i.e. Different.

sows
σπείρων (speirōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4687: To sow, spread, scatter. Probably strengthened from spao; to scatter, i.e. Sow.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

another
ἄλλος (allos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 243: Other, another (of more than two), different. A primary word; 'else, ' i.e. Different.

reaps’
θερίζων (therizōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2325: To reap, gather, harvest. From theros; to harvest.

is
ἐστὶν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

true.
ἀληθινὸς (alēthinos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 228: True (lit: made of truth), real, genuine. From alethes; truthful.


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NT Gospels: John 4:37 For in this the saying is true (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 4:36
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