2 Corinthians 9:10
in 2 Corinthians 9Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:
KJV
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 9
Commentary
11 notes on this verseNow he that ministereth seed to the sower - The sower, as we have already seen, is he that gives alms of what he hath; and God, who requires him to give these alms, is here represented as providing him with the means.
This site's exposition
his righteousness remaineth for ever
on 2 Corinthians 9:9-10
As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever: Psalm 112:9, describing the righteous man's generosity, applied by Paul to the church's own giving, the scattering of seed becoming a lasting righteousness rather than a loss. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: Isaiah 55:10 stands behind the figure, God who supplies both the seed to sow and the bread to eat, and the bench reads the compound promise as assurance that generosity does not deplete the giver's own resource, since the same God who gave the seed replenishes it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity · Written before 523.
proposed
And again Paul himself prayed for those who give that the fruits of their righteousness might be increased, and that they might distribute gifts to the needy with simplicity, "May that God Who giveth seed to the sowers, and bread for food, multiply your seed, …
Herein one may particularly admire the wisdom of Paul, that after having exhorted from spiritual considerations and from temporal, in respect of the recompense also he again does the very same, making the returns he mentions of either kind. This, (for instance,) "He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness abideth for ever," belongs to a spiritual return; that again, "multiply your seed for sowing," to a temporal recompense. Still, however, he rests not here, but even again passes back to what is spiritual, placing the two continually side by side; for "increase the fruits of your righteousness," is spiritual. This he does, and gives variety by it to his discourse, tearing up by the roots those their unmanly and faint-hearted reasonings, and using many arguments to dissipate their fear of poverty, as also the example which he now brings. For if even to those that sow the earth God gives, if to those that feed the body He grants abundance; much more will He to those who till the soil of heaven, to those who take care for the soul; for these things He willeth should yet more enjoy His providing care. […]
Moreover, the blessed Apostle Paul, full of the grace of the Lord's inspiration, says: "He that ministereth seed to the sower, shall both minister bread for your food, and shall multiply your seed sown, and shall increase the growth of the fruits of your righteousness, that in all things ye may be enriched.". Likewise in the same place: "Now he who ministereth seed to the sower, shall both supply bread to be eaten, and shall multiply your seed, and shall increase the growth of the fruits of your righteousness: that in all things ye may be made rich."
The Medieval Church2 voices
With these words he asks for them both fleshly and spiritual blessings, and confirms his word with a vivid example from agriculture. For if God supplies seed to those who sow the earth and provides food to those who nourish the body, how much more …
He confirms his reason by experience when he says, He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food. As if to say: you know from experience that what you give in alms you have from the Lord; therefore you should give gladly for …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And bread - All things needful for your own souls and bodies. Will continually supply you with that seed, yea, multiply it to you more and more. And increase the fruits of your righteousness - The happy effects of your love to God and man.
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower, and bread for your food,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Translate, as in Isa 55:10, "He that ministereth (supplieth) seed to the sower and bread for food" (literally, "bread for eating"). minister--rather future, as the oldest manuscripts, "Shall minister (supply) and multiply." your seed--your means for liberality. the fruits of your righteousness--the heavenly rewards for your Christian charity (Mt 10:42).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower - This is an expression of an earnest wish. In the previous verses he had stated the promises, or had shown what we had a right to expect as a consequence of liberality. He here unites the expression of an earnest desire that they might experience this themselves. The allusion is to the act of sowing seed. The idea is, that when a man scatters seed in his field God provides him with the means of sowing again. He not only gives him a harvest to supply his needs, but he blesses him also in giving him the ability to sow again. Such was the benevolent wish of Paul. He desired not only that God would supply their returning needs, but he desired also that he would give them the ability to do good again; that he would furnish them the means of future benevolence. He acknowledges God as the source of all increase, and wishes that they may experience the results of such increase. Perhaps in this language there is an allusion to Isa 4:10; and the idea is, that it is God who furnishes by his providence the seed to the sower. In like manner he will furnish you the means of doing good. Minister bread for your food - Furnish you with an ample supply for your needs. Multiply your seed sown - Greatly increase your means of doing good; make the result of all your benefactions so to abound that you may have the means of doing good again, and on a larger scale, as the seed sown in the earth is so increased that the farmer may have the means of sowing more abundantly again. And increase the fruits of your righteousness - This evidently means, the results and effects of their benevolence. […]
The words behind it
23 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐπιχορηγῶν | epichoregon | supplying | G2023 → | |
| σπόρον | sporon | seed | G4703 → | |
| τῷ | to | to him | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σπείροντι | speironti | sowing | G4687 → | 52 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἄρτον | arton | bread | G740 → | |
| εἰς | eis | for | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| βρῶσιν | brosin | food | G1035 → | |
| χορηγήσει | choregesei | will supply | G5524 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πληθυνεῖ | plethunei | will multiply | G4129 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σπόρον | sporon | seed for sowing | G4703 → | |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| αὐξήσει | auxesei | will increase | G837 → | |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γενήματα | genemata | fruits | ||
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δικαιοσύνης | dikaiosunes | righteousness | G1343 → | 92 times |
| ὑμῶν. | humon | of you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ὁThe [One]
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐπιχορηγῶνsupplying
epichoregonG2023 →
σπόρονseed
sporonG4703 →
τῷto him
toG3588 →19766 times
σπείροντιsowing
speirontiG4687 →52 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἄρτονbread
artonG740 →
εἰςfor
eisG1519 →1755 times
βρῶσινfood
brosinG1035 →
χορηγήσειwill supply
choregeseiG5524 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πληθυνεῖwill multiply
plethuneiG4129 →
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
σπόρονseed for sowing
sporonG4703 →
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
αὐξήσειwill increase
auxeseiG837 →
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
γενήματαfruits
genemata
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
δικαιοσύνηςrighteousness
dikaiosunesG1343 →92 times
ὑμῶν.of you.
humonG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ecclesiastes 11:6Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 9:10–11
Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.
- Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 55:10
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
- Haggai 1:6–11
You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into…
- 2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- 2 Corinthians 9:10–11
Through
Hosea 10:12Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
it leads to
- James 3:18
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 4:3–4
For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns.
- James 3:18
Through
2 Corinthians 9:6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
it leads to
- Proverbs 11:24–25
One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
- Proverbs 11:24–25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cyprian, Treatise VIII On Works and Alms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 20 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.