“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully .”
My Notes
What Does 2 Corinthians 9:6 Mean?
Paul's sowing-and-reaping principle in 2 Corinthians 9:6 is deceptively simple on the surface but carries real theological weight in context. He's not offering generic life advice — he's making a specific argument about financial generosity toward the struggling church in Jerusalem. The Corinthians had pledged a collection, and Paul is encouraging them to follow through with joyful abundance rather than reluctant obligation.
The word "bountifully" translates ep' eulogiais — literally "upon blessings" or "with blessings." To sow bountifully is to sow in a way that blesses. It's not just about quantity; it's about posture. You can give a large amount grudgingly or a modest amount with genuine generosity. Paul is after the spirit behind the gift.
"Sparingly" — pheidomenos — means with restraint, holding back, gripping tightly. Paul's agricultural metaphor would have been immediately clear to his audience: a farmer who hoards seed out of fear will have a thin harvest. A farmer who scatters generously trusts that the ground will do its work. The principle isn't transactional — give X, get Y. It's relational: the way you give reveals the way you trust God with what you have.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Where in your life are you currently sowing sparingly — holding back out of fear or self-protection?
- 2.What's the difference between being generous and being reckless? How do you find that balance?
- 3.Has there been a time when you gave bountifully and saw unexpected fruit from it? What happened?
- 4.What would change if you approached your most strained relationship with the same principle — sowing bountifully instead of sparingly?
Devotional
This verse gets quoted a lot in conversations about money, and that's not wrong — Paul is literally talking about a financial collection. But the principle underneath it reaches into every corner of your life.
Think about how you give — not just financially, but in every sense. Your time. Your attention. Your vulnerability. Your love. Do you give sparingly, measuring out just enough to avoid risk? Or do you give bountifully, trusting that what you release comes back in ways you can't always predict?
The farmer metaphor is honest about something we'd rather ignore: you can't harvest what you didn't plant. If you hold your seed tightly — your resources, your energy, your heart — you'll protect yourself from loss, but you'll also protect yourself from growth. Paul isn't promising a vending machine God who pays out proportionally. He's describing a spiritual reality: generosity creates conditions for abundance. Stinginess creates conditions for scarcity. And the scarcity isn't just material — it's in your relationships, your joy, your sense of purpose. What you're willing to scatter is what God has something to multiply.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
But this I say,.... This the apostle would have the Corinthians take notice of, and well consider, it being what he…
But this I say - This I say in order to induce you to give liberally. This I say to prevent your supposing that because…
He which soweth sparingly - This is a plain maxim: no man can expect to reap but in proportion as he has sowed. And here…
Here we have,
I. Proper directions to be observed about the right and acceptable manner of bestowing charity; and it is…
He which soweth sparingly "He calls it sowing," says Chrysostom, "in order that we may learn by the figure of the…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture