1 Corinthians 3:7

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God is important, because he is the one who makes things grow.

Revised Standard Version
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
So then nether is he that planteth eny thinge nether he yt watreth: but god which gave the increace.

Hebrew Names Version
So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

International Standard Version
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is significant, but God, who keeps everything growing, is the one who matters.2 Corinthians 12:11; Galatians 6:3;">[xr]

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

New Century Version
So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God, who makes things grow, is important.

Update Bible Version
So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters; but God that gives 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.

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

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

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

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

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor nether he that plauntith is ony thing, nethir he that moistith, but God that yiueth encreessyng.

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

Berean Standard Bible
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

Contemporary English Version
What matters isn't those who planted or watered, but God who made the plants grow.

Amplified Bible
So neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters anything, but [only] God who causes the growth.

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

Bible in Basic English
So then the planter is nothing, and the waterer is nothing; but God who gives the increase.

Complete Jewish Bible
So neither the planter nor the waterer is anything, only God who makes things grow —

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

Etheridge Translation
He then who planteth is not any thing nor he who watereth; but Aloha who maketh to increase.

Murdock Translation
Not therefore he that planted, is to be accounted of, nor he that watered, but God who produced the growth.

King James Version (1611)
So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither hee that watereth: but God that giueth the increase.

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

New Life Bible
This shows that the one who plants or the one who waters is not the important one. God is the important One. He makes it grow.

New Revised Standard
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Geneva Bible (1587)
So then, neither is hee that planteth any thing, neither hee that watreth, but God that giueth the increase.

George Lamsa Translation
So then neither he who plants, nor he who waters deserves the credit; but God who gives the increase.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So that, neither is he that planteth anything, nor, he that watereth, - but, God, who causeth to, grow.

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

Bishop's Bible (1568)
So then, neither is he that planteth any thyng, neither he that watreth: but God that geueth the encrease.

Good News Translation
The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because he makes the plant grow.

Christian Standard Bible®
So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

King James Version
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Lexham English Bible
So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who is causing it to grow.

Literal Translation
So as neither he planting is anything, nor he watering, but God making to grow.

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;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
So then nether is he that planteth, eny thinge, nether he that watreth, but God which geueth the increase.

Mace New Testament (1729)
so then, neither is he that planted any thing, nor he that watered: it is God only that gives the increase.

New English Translation
So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.

New King James Version
So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Simplified Cowboy Version
The one who does the groundwork and the one who starts you under saddle both are working toward the same goal.

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.

Legacy Standard Bible
So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

Contextual Overview

⁵Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God's field in which we are working. Or, to put it another way, you are God's house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won't be torn out; you'll survive—but just barely. You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple. Don't fool yourself. Don't think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God's fool—that's the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It's written in Scripture, He exposes the chicanery of the chic. The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls. I don't want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift—Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future—all of it is yours, and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God. ¹⁰ But for right now, friends, I'm completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You're acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then, I'll nurse you since you don't seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content only when everything's going your way? When one of you says, "I'm on Paul's side," and another says, "I'm for Apollos," aren't you being totally infantile? Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God's field in which we are working. Or, to put it another way, you are God's house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won't be torn out; you'll survive—but just barely. You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple. Don't fool yourself. Don't think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God's fool—that's the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It's written in Scripture, He exposes the chicanery of the chic. The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls. I don't want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift—Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future—all of it is yours, and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Corinthians 13:2, Psalms 115:1, Isaiah 40:17, Isaiah 41:29, Daniel 4:35, John 15:5, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Galatians 6:3

Reciprocal: Numbers 20:10 - we fetch 2 Samuel 23:5 - to grow Psalms 65:10 - settlest the furrows thereof Psalms 90:17 - establish Psalms 104:14 - that he Psalms 107:37 - which may Psalms 127:1 - The Lord Hosea 10:12 - rain Joel 2:22 - yield Luke 8:11 - The seed John 15:16 - bring John 21:3 - and that Acts 11:21 - and a Acts 16:14 - whose 1 Corinthians 3:5 - ministers 1 Corinthians 10:19 - that the 1 Corinthians 12:6 - worketh 1 Corinthians 15:38 - General 2 Corinthians 12:11 - though Galatians 5:26 - desirous

Cross-References

Genesis 3:10
He said, "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid."

Genesis 3:11
God said, "Who told you you were naked? Did you eat from that tree I told you not to eat from?"

2 Kings 6:20
As they entered the city, Elisha prayed, "O God , open their eyes so they can see where they are." God opened their eyes. They looked around—they were trapped in Samaria!

Gill's Notes on the 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Anything - This is to he taken comparatively. They are nothing in comparison with God! Their agency is of no importance compared with his: see the note at 1 Corinthians 1:28. It does not mean that their agency ought not to be performed; that it is not important, and indispensable in its place; but that the honor is due to God - Their agency is indispensable. God could make seed or a tree grow if they were not planted in the earth. But He does not do it. The agency of the farmer is indispensable in the ordinary operations of His providence. If he does not plant, God will not make the grain or the tree grow. God blesses his labors; he does not work a miracle. God attends effort with success; God does not interfere in a miraculous manner to accommodate the indolence of people. So in the matter of salvation. The efforts of ministers would be of no avail without God. They could do nothing in the salvation of the soul unless God would give the increase. But their labors are as indispensable and as necessary, as are those of the farmer in the production of a harvest. And as every farmer could say, “my labors are nothing without God, who alone can give the increase,” so it is with every minister of the gospel.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 3:7. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing — God alone should have all the glory, as the seed is his, the ground is his, the labourers are his, and the produce all comes from himself.