John 4:38

George Lamsa Translation

I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; for others labored, and you have entered into their labor.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I sent you to reap what you didn’t labor for; others have labored, and you have benefited from

King James Version (1611)
I sent you to reape that, whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and yee are entred into their labours.

King James Version
I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

English Standard Version
I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

New American Standard Bible
"I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have come into their labor."

New Century Version
I sent you to harvest a crop that you did not work on. Others did the work, and you get to finish up their work."

Amplified Bible
"I sent you to reap [a crop] for which you have not worked. Others have worked and you have been privileged to reap the results of their work."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."

Legacy Standard Bible
I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."

Berean Standard Bible
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor."

Contemporary English Version
I am sending you to harvest crops in fields where others have done all the hard work.

Complete Jewish Bible
I sent you to reap what you haven't worked for. Others have done the hard labor, and you have benefited from their work."

Darby Translation
I have sent you to reap that on which ye have not laboured; others have laboured, and ye have entered into their labours.

Easy-to-Read Version
I sent you to harvest a crop that you did not work for. Others did the work, and you get the profit from their work."

Geneva Bible (1587)
I sent you to reape that, whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entred into their labours.

Good News Translation
I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work."

Lexham English Bible
I sent you to reap what you did not work for; others have worked, and you have entered into their work."

Literal Translation
I sent you to reap what you have not labored over. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.

American Standard Version
I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not labored: others have labored, and ye are entered into their labor.

Bible in Basic English
I sent you to get in grain which you had no hand in planting: other men did that work, and you take the reward.

Hebrew Names Version
I sent you to reap that for which you haven't labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

International Standard Version
I have sent you to harvest what you have not labored for. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

Etheridge Translation
I sent you to reap that (for) which you did not toil; for others toiled, and you have entered upon their labour.

Murdock Translation
I sent you to reap that, on which ye labored not: for others toiled, and ye entered into their labor.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
I sent you to reape that, wheron ye bestowed no labour. Other men laboured, and ye are entred into their labours.

English Revised Version
I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not laboured: others have laboured, and ye are entered into their labour.

World English Bible
I sent you to reap that for which you haven't labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I have sent you to reap that whereon ye have bestowed no labour: others have laboured, and ye are entered into their labour.

Weymouth's New Testament
I sent you to reap a harvest which is not the result of your own labours. Others have laboured, and you are getting benefit from their labours."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y sente you to repe, that that ye `haue not trauelid; `othere men han trauelid, and ye han entrid `in to her trauels.

Update Bible Version
I sent you to reap that whereon you have not labored: others have labored, and you are entered into their labor.

Webster's Bible Translation
I sent you to reap that on which ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye have entered into their labors.

New English Translation
I sent you to reap what you did not work for; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."

New King James Version
I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

New Living Translation
I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest."

New Life Bible
I sent you to gather where you have not planted. Others have planted and you have come along to gather in their fruit."

New Revised Standard
I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I, sent you forth, to be reaping that whereon, ye, have not toiled: Others, have toiled, and, ye, into their toil, have entered.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I have sent you to reap that in which you did not labour. Others have laboured: and you have entered into their labours.

Revised Standard Version
I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I sent you to repe yt whero ye bestowed no laboure. Other men laboured and ye are entred into their labours.

Young's Literal Translation
I sent you to reap that on which ye have not laboured; others laboured, and ye into their labour have entered.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I haue sent you to reape that, wheron ye bestowed no laboure. Other haue laboured, and ye are come in to their laboures.

Mace New Testament (1729)
I sent you to reap where you bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and you are entred into their labours.

Simplified Cowboy Version
I sent y'all to brand where you did not calve. Other cowboys had already finished that hard job. Now you get to do the fun stuff and brand 'em."

Contextual Overview

²⁷ While he was talking, his disciples came, and they were surprised that he was talking with a married woman; but no one said to him, What do you want? or, What are you talking with her? ²⁸ The woman then left her water jar, and went to the city and said to the men, ²⁹ Come and see a man who told me everything which I have done; why, is he the Christ? ³⁰ And the men went out of the city, and came to him. ³¹ During the interval his disciples begged him, saying, Teacher, eat. ³² But he said to them, I have food to eat, of which you do not know. ³³ The disciples said among themselves, Why, did any man bring him something to eat? ³⁴ Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work. ³⁵ Do you not say that after four months comes the harvest? behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and look at the fields, which have turned white and have long been ready for the harvest. ³⁶ And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruits to life everlasting; so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sent: Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4, Acts 4:32, Acts 5:14, Acts 6:7, Acts 8:4-8, Acts 8:14-17

other: John 1:7, 2 Chronicles 36:15, Jeremiah 44:4, Matthew 3:1-6, Matthew 4:23, Matthew 11:8-13, Acts 10:37, Acts 10:38, Acts 10:42, Acts 10:43, 1 Peter 1:11, 1 Peter 1:12

Reciprocal: Joshua 5:12 - but they did eat 1 Chronicles 22:5 - David prepared Luke 19:9 - This day 1 Thessalonians 5:12 - labour 1 Timothy 5:17 - labour

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I sent you to reap,.... To preach the Gospel, and gather in souls by your ministry; referring to the mission of them in

Matthew 10:6;

that whereon ye bestowed no labour; being sent to the Jews, who had the writings of the prophets, and were versed in them; and had learned from them that the Messiah was to come, and were now in general expectation of him; so that they had nothing more to do, than to declare to those persons who were cultivated by the prophets, and were like to ground tilled and manured, that the Messiah was come, and the kingdom of heaven was at hand.

Other men laboured; the prophets, and John the Baptist:

and ye are entered into their labours; to finish the work they had begun, and which was almost done to their hands.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I sent you - In the commission given you to preach the gospel. You have not labored or toiled in preparing the way for the great harvest which is now to be gathered in.

Other men laboured -

1. The prophets, who long labored to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.

(2)The teachers among the Jews, who have read and explained the law and taught the people.

1. John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way. And,
2. The Saviour himself, who by his personal ministry taught the people, and prepared them for the success which was to attend the preaching of the apostles.

Especially did Jesus lay the foundation for the rapid and extensive spread of the gospel. “He” saw comparatively little fruit of his ministry. He confined his labors to Judea, and even there he was occupied in sowing seed which chiefly sprang up after his death. From this we may learn:

1. That the man who is crowned with eminent success has no cause of “boasting” over others, any more than the man who reaps a field of grain should boast over the man who sowed it. The labor of both is equally necessary, and the labor of both would be useless if God did not give the increase. Compare 1 Corinthians 3:6.

2. We should not be discouraged if we do not meet with immediate success. The man that sows is not disheartened because he does not see the harvest “immediately” spring up. We are to sow our seed in the morning, and in the evening we are not to withhold our hand, for we know not whether shall prosper, this or that; and we are to go forth bearing precious seed, though “weeping,” knowing that we shall come again rejoicing, bearing our sheaves with us, Ecclesiastes 11:4; Psalms 126:6.

3. Every part of the work of the ministry and of teaching men is needful, and we should rejoice that we are permitted to bear any part, however humble, in bringing sinners to the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:21-24.