Galatians 6:7

THE MESSAGE

Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
If you think you can fool God, you are only fooling yourselves. You will harvest what you plant.

Revised Standard Version
Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Be not deceaved God is not mocked. For what soever a man soweth yt shall he reepe.

Hebrew Names Version
Don't be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap.

New American Standard Bible
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.

New Century Version
Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant.

Update Bible Version
Don't be deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that he shall also reap.

Webster's Bible Translation
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

English Standard Version
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

World English Bible
Don't be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap.

Weymouth's New Testament
Do not deceive yourselves. God is not to be scoffed at. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Nyle ye erre, God is not scorned;

English Revised Version
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Berean Standard Bible
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.

Contemporary English Version
You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant.

Amplified Bible
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap.

American Standard Version
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Bible in Basic English
Be not tricked; God is not made sport of: for whatever seed a man puts in, that will he get back as grain.

Complete Jewish Bible
Don't delude yourselves: no one makes a fool of God! A person reaps what he sows.

Darby Translation
Be not deceived: God is not mocked; for whatever a man shall sow, that also shall he reap.

International Standard Version
Stop beingDo not be">[fn] deceived; God is not to be ridiculed. A person harvests whatever he plants.Job 1:13:9; Luke 16:25; Romans 2:6; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 15:33; 2 Corinthians 9:6;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Do not err. Aloha is not mocked: for whatever a man soweth, that he reapeth.

Murdock Translation
Do not mistake; God is not deceived; for what a man soweth, that also will he reap.

King James Version (1611)
Be not deceiued, God is not mocked: for whatsoeuer a man soweth, that shall he also reape.

New Living Translation
Don't be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

New Life Bible
Do not be fooled. You cannot fool God. A man will get back whatever he plants!

New Revised Standard
Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Be not deceiued: God is not mocked: for whatsoeuer a man soweth, that shall hee also reape.

George Lamsa Translation
Do not be deceived; God is not deceived: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Be not deceiving yourselves! God, is not to be mocked; for, whatsoever a man soweth, the same, shall he also reap, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
Be not deceived: God is not mocked.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Be not deceaued, God is not mocked: For whatsoeuer a man soweth, that shall he also reape.

Good News Translation
Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant.

Christian Standard Bible®
Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap,

King James Version
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Lexham English Bible
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked, for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap,

Literal Translation
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. For whatever a man may sow, that he also will reap.

Young's Literal Translation
Be not led astray; God is not mocked; for what a man may sow -- that also he shall reap,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Be not disceaued, God wil not be mocked. For what soeuer a man soweth, that shal he reape.

Mace New Testament (1729)
be not deceived, God will not be mocked: for what a man soweth, that shall he also reap:

New English Translation
Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows,

New King James Version
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Don't be a durn fool. You can't pull the wool over God's eyes. He knows if you really tried or you were just faking. All of us will get out of it what we truly put into it.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Contextual Overview

¹Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. ⁴Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. ⁶ Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience. ⁷Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. ⁹So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

not: Galatians 6:3, Job 15:31, Jeremiah 37:9, Obadiah 1:3, Luke 21:8, 1 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Ephesians 5:6, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, James 1:22, James 1:26, 1 John 1:8, 1 John 3:7

God: Job 13:8, Job 13:9, Jude 1:18

for: Job 4:8, Proverbs 1:31, Proverbs 6:14, Proverbs 6:19, Proverbs 11:18, Hosea 8:7, Hosea 10:12, Luke 16:25, Romans 2:6-10, 2 Corinthians 9:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:12 - herb Genesis 26:12 - an hundredfold Exodus 8:29 - deal Judges 9:56 - God rendered Judges 16:7 - If they bind 2 Chronicles 29:11 - negligent Job 15:35 - conceive Job 22:2 - as he that Job 34:11 - cause Psalms 126:6 - that goeth Proverbs 5:22 - His Proverbs 10:16 - labour Proverbs 22:8 - that Isaiah 3:10 - they shall eat Isaiah 17:11 - the harvest Jeremiah 4:3 - Break Jeremiah 17:10 - fruit Jeremiah 21:14 - according Jeremiah 31:30 - General Jeremiah 34:17 - behold Jeremiah 42:20 - For ye Ezekiel 7:9 - the Lord Ezekiel 14:5 - estranged Ezekiel 18:22 - in his Ezekiel 33:9 - if thou Hosea 10:13 - plowed Hosea 12:2 - according to his doings Micah 7:13 - for Matthew 7:24 - whosoever Matthew 10:10 - for the Luke 6:46 - General Romans 2:11 - General Romans 6:21 - What Romans 6:23 - For the wages 1 Corinthians 3:8 - and every 2 Corinthians 5:10 - receive Galatians 6:8 - soweth to the Philippians 2:12 - work James 1:16 - Do Revelation 14:13 - and their

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
When the human race began to increase, with more and more daughters being born, the sons of God noticed that the daughters of men were beautiful. They looked them over and picked out wives for themselves.

Genesis 6:3
Then God said, "I'm not going to breathe life into men and women endlessly. Eventually they're going to die; from now on they can expect a life span of 120 years."

Genesis 6:4
This was back in the days (and also later) when there were giants in the land. The giants came from the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men. These were the mighty men of ancient lore, the famous ones.

Genesis 6:22
Noah did everything God commanded him to do.

Psalms 37:20
God-despisers have had it; God 's enemies are finished— Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time, vanished like smoke in thin air.

Proverbs 10:27
The Fear-of- God expands your life; a wicked life is a puny life.

Proverbs 16:4
God made everything with a place and purpose; even the wicked are included—but for judgment.

Zephaniah 1:3
"Men and women and animals, including birds and fish— Anything and everything that causes sin—will go, but especially people.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Be not deceived,.... By false teachers, who, in order to engross all to themselves, dissuaded the Galatians from communicating to their honourable pastors, and faithful ministers of the word; or by themselves, who being of a tenacious and covetous disposition, devised various things to excuse them from performing this their duty to the preachers of the Gospel; as that they had families of their own to maintain, that their circumstances were such that they could give little or nothing this way, and the others, who were of better abilities in life, ought to bear this charge; and with such like things endeavoured to satisfy their consciences in the neglect of their duty: but this was all self-deception, for

God is not mocked; nor will he be; men may deceive themselves, and others, with such excuses and false appearances, yet they cannot deceive God, who knows their hearts as well as their worldly substance, and that the omission of their duty arises not from want of ability, but from a covetous temper; and who looks upon withholding from his ministers that which is due unto them as mocking of him, and which he will not suffer with impunity:

for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap; as to kind, quality, and quantity, generally speaking; if he sows wheat he reaps wheat, if he sows barley he reaps barley; no man can expect to reap another sort than what he sows; and if it is good seed he may hope for a good crop; and if he sows bountifully, he shall reap bountifully; but if he sows sparingly, he shall reap sparingly; and if he sows nothing, he can never reap anything. This is a proverbial expression, and may be applied to all actions, good and bad, and the reward and punishment of them, and particularly to acts of beneficence, and the enjoying of the fruits thereof;

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Be not deceived - That is, in regard to your character, and your hopes for eternity. This is a formula of introduction to some admonition that is especially weighty and important. It implies that there was danger that they would be deceived in reference to their character. The sources of the danger were the corruption of their own hearts, the difficulty of knowing their true character, the instructions of false teachers, etc.; see the note at 1 Corinthians 6:9.

God is not mocked - He cannot be imposed on, or mocked. He knows what our real character is, and he will judge us accordingly. The word rendered “mocked” (μυκτηρίζω muktērizō), means, properly, to turn up the nose in scorn; hence, to mock, or deride, or insult. The sense is, that God could not be imposed on, or could not be insulted with impunity, or successfully. To mock is, properly:

(1) To imitate, to mimic: to imitate in contempt or derision.

(2) To deride, to laugh at, to ridicule.

(3) To defeat, or to illude, or to disappoint.

(4) To fool, to tantalize - Webster.

Here it cannot mean to imitate, or to mimic, but it refers to the principles of the divine administration, and must mean that they could not be treated with contempt, or successfully evaded. They could not hope to illude or impose on God. His principles of government were settled, and they could not impose on him. To what the reference is here, is not perfectly plain. In the connection in which it stands, it seems to refer to the support of the ministers of the gospel; and Paul introduces the general principle, that as a man sows he will reap, to show them what will be the effect of a liberal and proper use of their property. If they made a proper use of it; if they employed it for benevolent purposes; if they appropriated what they should to the support of religion, they would reap accordingly. God could not be imposed on in regard to this. They could not make him think that they had true religion when they were sowing to the flesh, and when they were spending their money in purchasing pleasure, and in luxury and vanity.

No zeal, however ardent; no prayers, however fervent or long, no professions, however loud, would impose on God. And to make such prayers, and to manifest such zeal and such strong professions, while the heart was with the world, and they were spending their money for every thing else but religion, was mocking God. Alas, how much mockery of God like this still prevails! How much, when people seem disposed to make God believe that they are exceedingly zealous and devoted, while their heart is truly with the world! How many long prayers are offered; how much zeal is shown; how many warm professions are made, as if to make God and man believe that the heart was truly engaged in the cause of religion, while little or nothing is given in the cause of benevolence; while the ministers of religion are suffered to starve; and while the “loud professor” rolls in wealth, and is distinguished for luxury of living, for gaiety of apparel, for splendor of equipage, and for extravagance in parties of pleasure! Such professors attempt to mock God. They are really sowing to the flesh; and of the flesh they must reap corruption.

For whatsoever a man soweth ... - See the note at 2 Corinthians 9:6. This figure is taken from agriculture. A man who sows wheat, shall reap wheat; he who sows barley, shall reap barley; he who sows cockle, shall reap cockle. Every kind of grain will produce grain like itself. So it is in regard to our works. He who is liberal, shall be dealt with liberally; he who is righteous, shall be rewarded; he who is a sinner, shall reap according to his deeds.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. Be not deceived — Neither deceive yourselves, nor permit yourselves to be deceived by others. He seems to refer to the Judaizing teachers.

God is not mocked — Ye cannot deceive him, and he will not permit you to mock him with pretended instead of real services.

Whatsoever a man soweth — Whatsoever kind of grain a man sows in his field, of that shall he reap; for no other species of grain can proceed from that which is sown. Darnel will not produce wheat, nor wheat, darnel.