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Monday, October 14th, 2024
the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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Amplified Bible

1 Corinthians 9:11

If we have sown [the good seed of] spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Evil;   Minister, Christian;   Reciprocity;   Thompson Chain Reference - Reciprocation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ministers;   Reaping;   Seed;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Collection;   Law;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Carnal;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Tribute;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bag;   Carnal;   Muzzle;   1 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Abuse, Abusers;   Church Government;   Collection;   Harvest ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Fleshly;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Mouth;   Reap;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Carnal;   Spiritual Things;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
We planted spiritual seed among you, so we should be able to harvest from you some things for this life. Surely that is not asking too much.
Revised Standard Version
If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Yf we sowe vnto you spirituall thynges: is it a greate thynge yf we reepe youre carnall thynges
Hebrew Names Version
If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?
International Standard Version
If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?Romans 15:27; Galatians 6:6;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
New Century Version
Since we planted spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we should harvest material things?
Update Bible Version
If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?
Webster's Bible Translation
If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
English Standard Version
If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
World English Bible
If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter, if we shall reap your carnal things?
Weymouth's New Testament
If it is we who sowed the spiritual grain in you, is it a great thing that we should reap a temporal harvest from you?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If we sowen spiritual thingis to you, is it grete, if we repen youre fleischli thingis?
English Revised Version
If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?
Berean Standard Bible
If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you?
Contemporary English Version
When we told the message to you, it was like planting spiritual seed. So we have the right to accept material things as our harvest from you.
American Standard Version
If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?
Bible in Basic English
If we have been planting the things of the Spirit for you, does it seem a great thing for you to give us a part in your things of this world?
Complete Jewish Bible
If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
Darby Translation
If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it a] great [thing] if *we* shall reap your carnal things?
Etheridge Translation
If we of the spirit have sown among you, is it a great thing if we from you of the body shall reap ?
Murdock Translation
If we have sowed among you the things of the Spirit, is it a great matter, if we reap from you the things of the body?
King James Version (1611)
If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things, is it a great thing if wee shall reape your carnall things?
New Living Translation
Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren't we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink?
New Life Bible
We have planted God's Word among you. Is it too much to expect you to give us what we need to live each day?
New Revised Standard
If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits?
Geneva Bible (1587)
If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall thinges, is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges?
George Lamsa Translation
Now if we have sown among you spiritual things, is it too much that we should reap material things from you?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If, we, unto you, the things of the Spirit have sown, is it a great matter, if, we, of you, the things of the flesh shall reap?
Douay-Rheims Bible
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall thinges, is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges?
Good News Translation
We have sown spiritual seed among you. Is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?
Christian Standard Bible®
If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?
King James Version
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
Lexham English Bible
If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too great a thing if we reap material things from you?
Literal Translation
If we have sowed spiritual things to you, is it a great thing if we shall reap of your fleshly things?
Young's Literal Translation
If we to you the spiritual things did sow -- great [is it] if we your fleshly things do reap?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf we haue sowne vnto you spiritual thinges, is it a greate thige yf we reape yor bodely thiges?
Mace New Testament (1729)
if for your benefit we have sown spirituals, is it so extraordinary if we should reap some benefit from your temporals?
New English Translation
If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you?
New King James Version
If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?
Simplified Cowboy Version
Since we are the ones who gathered you and brought you onto God's outfit, shouldn't we be entitled to sustenance?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
Legacy Standard Bible
If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?

Contextual Overview

3This is my defense to those who would put me on trial and interrogate me [concerning my authority as an apostle]: 4Have we not the right to our food and drink [at the expense of the churches]? 5Have we not the right to take along with us a believing wife, as do the rest of the apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas (Peter)? 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to stop doing manual labor [in order to support our ministry]? 7[Consider this:] Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? 8Do I say these things only from a man's perspective? Does the Law not endorse the same principles? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE AN OX WHILE IT IS TREADING OUT THE GRAIN [to keep it from eating the grain]." Is it [only] for oxen that God cares? 10Or does He speak entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake: The plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the harvest. 11If we have sown [the good seed of] spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?12If others share in this rightful claim over you, do not we even more? However, we did not exercise this right, but we put up with everything so that we will not hinder [the spread of] the good news of Christ.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sown: Malachi 3:8, Malachi 3:9, Matthew 10:10, Romans 15:27, Galatians 6:6

a great: 2 Kings 5:13, 2 Corinthians 11:15

Reciprocal: Leviticus 23:20 - holy to Deuteronomy 26:11 - the Levite 2 Kings 4:42 - bread 2 Kings 5:26 - Is it a time 1 Corinthians 2:13 - spiritual things 2 Corinthians 6:4 - in all Philippians 4:14 - ye did

Cross-References

Genesis 9:21
He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he was uncovered and lay exposed inside his tent.
Genesis 9:22
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw [by accident] the nakedness of his father, and [to his father's shame] told his two brothers outside.
Genesis 9:23
So Shem and Japheth took a robe and put it on both their shoulders, and walked backwards and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away so that they did not see their father's nakedness.
Isaiah 54:9
"For this is like the waters of Noah to Me, As I swore [an oath] that the waters of Noah Would not flood the earth again; In the same way I have sworn that I will not be angry with you Nor will I rebuke you.
2 Peter 3:7
But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly people.
2 Peter 3:11
Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be [in the meantime] in holy behavior [that is, in a pattern of daily life that sets you apart as a believer] and in godliness [displaying profound reverence toward our awesome God],

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If we have sown unto you spiritual things,.... The preachers of the Gospel are compared to sowers of seed; the seed they sow is the word of God, which is like to seed, for its smallness and despicableness in the eyes of carnal men; and yet as the seed is the choicest which is laid by for sowing, the Gospel is most choice and excellent to true believers; like seed, it has a generative virtue through divine influence; and whereas unless sown into the earth, it brings forth no fruit, so neither does the word, unless it has a place in the heart, where, as seed in the ground, its operation is secret, its increase gradual, and its fruitfulness different. The ground they sow upon is, very various; some of their hearers are like the wayside, careless, ignorant, and on whom no impression is made; others are like the stony ground, who though for a while they express some affection and liking, yet not having the root of grace in them, whenever persecution arises, forsake the hearing of it; others are like the thorny ground, which are at first very promising, and greatly reformed, but inwardly full of the cares and lusts of the world, which choke the word, and make it unfruitful; and others are like the good ground, who are made good by the grace of God, understand the word, receive it, hold it fast, and in whom it is fruitful: sowing requires skill and art, and so preaching the Gospel does, and that more than human; and is constantly in its returning season to be attended to, notwithstanding the winds and clouds, and so the ministry of the word, notwithstanding all reproaches, persecutions, and afflictions; and as the same sort of seed, without mixture, and in plenty, is to be cast into the earth, so the same pure and unmixed Gospel of Christ is to be preached, and that without keeping back any thing that is profitable: and once more, as the sower, when he has cast his seed into the earth, waits long and with patience for its springing up and increase, so do the faithful dispensers of the Gospel: and what they sow or minister is of a spiritual nature; it comes from the Spirit of God, he is the dictator of it; he by his gifts qualifies men to preach it, and by his power makes it effectual to the souls of men; and through it conveys himself to them, as a spirit of regeneration and sanctification: the matter of the Gospel is spiritual; it contains spiritual doctrines, such as justification, pardon of sin, adoption, regeneration, c. and are what concern the souls and spirits of men, and their spiritual and eternal welfare:

is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? meaning temporal ones, what concern the flesh, the body, the outward man, and the support thereof. The argument is from the greater to the less, and much the same with that in Romans 15:27. The difference between carnal and spiritual things is very great the one has a vastly superior excellency to the other; and therefore if for carnal things men receive spiritual ones, they can be no losers thereby, but must be gainers; nor should it be thought any hardship or burden upon them, or any great and wonderful thing done by them, to support and maintain such who are so useful to their souls, and the spiritual welfare of them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If we have sown unto you spiritual things - If we have been the means of imparting to you the gospel, and bestowing upon you its high hopes and privileges; see the note at Romans 15:27. The figure of “sowing,” to denote the preaching of the gospel, is not unfrequently employed in the Scriptures; see John 4:37, and the parable of the sower, Matthew 13:3 ff.

Is it a great thing ... - See the note at Romans 15:27. Is it to be regarded as unequal, unjust, or burdensome? Is it to be supposed that we are receiving that for which we have not rendered a valuable consideration? The sense is, “We impart blessings of more value than we receive. We receive a supply of our temporal needs. We impart to you, under the divine blessing, the gospel, with all its hopes and consolations. We make you acquainted with God; with the plan of salvation; with the hope of heaven. We instruct your children; we guide you in the path of comfort and peace; we raise you from the degradations of idolatry and of sin; and we open before you the hope of the resurrection of the just, and of all the bliss of heaven; and to do this, we give ourselves to toil and peril by land and by sea. And can it be made a matter of question whether all these high and exalted hopes are of as much value to dying man as the small amount which shall be needful to minister to the needs of those who are the means of imparting these blessings?” Paul says this, therefore, from the reasonableness of the case. The propriety of support might be further urged:

(1) Because without it the ministry would be comparatively useless. Ministers, like physicians, lawyers, and farmers, should be allowed to attend mainly to the great business of their lives, and to their appropriate work. No physician, no farmer, no mechanic, could accomplish much, if his attention was constantly turned off from his appropriate business to engage in something else. And how can the minister of the gospel, if his time is nearly all taken up in laboring to provide for the needs of his family?

(2) The great mass of ministers spend their early days, and many of them all their property, in preparing to preach the gospel to others. And as the mechanic who has spent his early years in learning a trade, and the physician and lawyer in preparing for their profession, receive support in that calling, why should not the minister of the gospel?

(3) People in other things cheerfully pay those who labor for them. They compensate the schoolmaster, the physician, the lawyer; the merchant, the mechanic; and they do it cheerfully, because they suppose they receive a valuable consideration for their money. But is it not so with regard to ministers of the gospel? Is not a man’s family as certainly benefited by the labors of a faithful clergyman and pastor, as by the skill of a physician or a lawyer, or by the service of the schoolmaster? Are not the affairs of the soul and of eternity as important to a man’s family as those of time and the welfare of the body? So the music-master and the dancing master are paid, and paid cheerfully and liberally; and yet can there be any comparison between the value of their services and those of the minister of the gospel?

(4) It might be added, that society is benefited in a “pecuniary” way by the service of a faithful minister to a far greater extent than the amount of compensation which he receives. One drunkard, reformed under his labors, may earn and save to his family and to society as much as the whole salary of the pastor. The promotion of order, peace, sobriety, industry, education, and regularity in business, and honesty in contracting and in paying debts, saves much more to the community at large than the cost of the support of the gospel. In regard to this, any man may make the comparison at his leisure, between those places where the ministry is established, and where temperance, industry, and sober habits prevail, and those places where there is no ministry, and where gambling, idleness, and dissipation abound. It is always a matter of “economy” to a people, in the end, to support schoolmasters and ministers as they ought to be supported.

Reap your carnal things - Partake of those things which relate to the present life; the support of the body, that is, food and raiment.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 9:11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things — If we have been the means of bringing you into a state of salvation by the Divine doctrines which we have preached unto you, is it too much for us to expect a temporal support then we give ourselves up entirely to this work? Every man who preaches the Gospel has a right to his own support and that of his family while thus employed.


 
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