New International VersionWhen you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.
New Living TranslationAnd what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting.
English Standard VersionAnd what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.
Berean Standard BibleAnd what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else.
Berean Literal BibleAnd what you sow is not the body that will be, but you sow a bare grain, if it may be of wheat, or of some of the rest.
King James BibleAnd that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
New King James VersionAnd what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain.
New American Standard Bibleand that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.
NASB 1995and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.
NASB 1977and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.
Legacy Standard Bibleand that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.
Amplified BibleThe seed you sow is not the body (the plant) which it is going to become, but it is a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or some other grain.
Christian Standard BibleAnd as for what you sow—you are not sowing the body that will be, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain.
Holman Christian Standard BibleAnd as for what you sow—you are not sowing the future body, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain.
American Standard Versionand that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind;
Contemporary English VersionWheat seeds and all other seeds look different from the sprouts that come up.
English Revised Versionand that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind;
GOD'S WORD® TranslationWhat you plant, whether it's wheat or something else, is only a seed. It doesn't have the form that the plant will have.
Good News TranslationAnd what you plant is a bare seed, perhaps a grain of wheat or some other grain, not the full-bodied plant that will later grow up.
International Standard Versionand what you plant is not the form that it will be, but a bare kernel, whether it is wheat or something else.
NET BibleAnd what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare seed--perhaps of wheat or something else.
New Heart English BibleThat which you sow, you do not sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain; it may be of wheat, or of some other grain:
Weymouth New Testamentand as for what you sow, it is not the plant which is to be that you are sowing, but a bare grain, of wheat (it may be) Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else.
World English BibleThat which you sow, you don’t sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand that which you sow, you do not sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, it may be of wheat, or of someone of the others,
Berean Literal BibleAnd what you sow is not the body that will be, but you sow a bare grain, if it may be of wheat, or of some of the rest.
Young's Literal Translation and that which thou dost sow, not the body that shall be dost thou sow, but bare grain, it may be of wheat, or of some one of the others,
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd what thou sowest, thou sowest not the body going to be, but the naked kernel, if perhaps of wheat, or some of the rest: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be; but bare grain, as of wheat, or of some of the rest.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd what you sow is not the body that will be in the future, but a bare grain, such as of wheat, or of some other grain.
New American BibleAnd what you sow is not the body that is to be but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind;
New Revised Standard VersionAnd as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd that which you sow is not the body that shall be, but the bare grain; it may chance to be of wheat or barley, or some other seed.
Aramaic Bible in Plain EnglishAnd the thing which you sow is not that body which is going to be, for you sow a naked grain of wheat or barley or of other grain. NT Translations Anderson New Testamentand as to that which you sow, you sow not the body that shall be produced, but the naked grain, it may be of wheat, or of some other grain:
Godbey New Testamentand that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but naked grain, if it may happen to be of wheat, or of some one of the other grains;
Haweis New Testamentand that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body which shall be afterwards, but the bare grain, perhaps of wheat, or of some of the other seeds:
Mace New Testamentand whatever you sow, you don't sow that body which shall afterwards appear, but only the bare grain of wheat, for instance, or of some other grain.
Weymouth New Testamentand as for what you sow, it is not the plant which is to be that you are sowing, but a bare grain, of wheat (it may be)
Worrell New Testamentand that which you sow, you sow not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may be of wheat, or of some other kind;
Worsley New TestamentAnd as to what thou sowest, thou sowest not the very body that shall be produced, but a bare grain, it may be, of wheat, or any other corn:
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context The Resurrection Body… 36You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37Andwhatyou sowis notthebodythatwill be,butjusta seed,perhapsof wheatorsomethingelse.38But God gives it a body as He has designed, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body.…
Cross References John 12:24Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Mark 4:26-29Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. / Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. / All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. ...
Matthew 13:31-32He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field. / Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
Genesis 1:11-12Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each bearing fruit with seed according to its kind.” And it was so. / The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Luke 8:11-15Now this is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. / The seeds along the path are those who hear, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. / The seeds on rocky ground are those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but they have no root. They believe for a season, but in the time of testing, they fall away. ...
Galatians 6:7-8Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. / The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
James 3:18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.
2 Corinthians 9:10Now 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.
Isaiah 55:10-11For 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, / so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
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.
Matthew 13:3-9And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. / And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. / Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. ...
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.
Psalm 126:5-6Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. / He who goes out weeping, bearing a trail of seed, will surely return with shouts of joy, carrying sheaves of grain.
Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
Romans 8:11And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
Treasury of Scripture And that which you sow, you sow not that body that shall be, but bore grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: Jump to Previous BareBodyChanceEarthGrainKernelKindMaybeOthersPerhapsPlantSeedSomethingSortSowSowestSowingWheatJump to Next BareBodyChanceEarthGrainKernelKindMaybeOthersPerhapsPlantSeedSomethingSortSowSowestSowingWheat1 Corinthians 15 1.By Christ's resurrection,12.he proves the necessity of our resurrection,16.against all such as deny the resurrection of the body.21.The fruit,35.and the manner thereof;51.and of the resurrection of those who shall be found alive at the last day.And what you sow is not the body that will beThis phrase introduces the metaphor of sowing and reaping to explain the resurrection of the dead. In the context of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul addresses questions about the nature of the resurrection body. The imagery of sowing a seed is used to illustrate transformation and continuity. The seed, when sown, does not resemble the plant it will become, highlighting the difference between our earthly bodies and our resurrected bodies. This concept is rooted in the Jewish understanding of resurrection, which anticipates a future transformation. The metaphor also connects to Jesus' teaching in John 12:24, where He speaks of a grain of wheat dying to produce much fruit, symbolizing His death and resurrection. but just a seed The term "seed" here is significant in biblical symbolism, often representing potential and new beginnings. InGenesis 1:11-12, God commands the earth to bring forth vegetation, each according to its kind, emphasizing the idea of life and growth inherent in a seed. The seed metaphor also reflects the mystery of life and transformation, as seen in the parables of Jesus, such as the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32). The seed must be buried and undergo a transformation to fulfill its purpose, paralleling the believer's hope in the resurrection. perhaps of wheat or something else Paul uses wheat as an example, a staple crop in the ancient Near East, familiar to his audience. Wheat was a primary food source, and its growth cycle was well understood, making it an effective illustration. The mention of "something else" broadens the metaphor to include various types of seeds, emphasizing the diversity of resurrection bodies. This diversity is echoed in1 Corinthians 15:39-41, where Paul discusses the different kinds of flesh and celestial bodies, underscoring the uniqueness of the resurrection body. The reference to wheat also connects to the harvest imagery found throughout Scripture, such as inMatthew 9:37-38, where Jesus speaks of the plentiful harvest and the need for laborers, symbolizing the gathering of believers in the end times. Persons / Places / Events 1. Paul the ApostleThe author of 1 Corinthians, addressing the church in Corinth. Paul is explaining the resurrection of the dead and using agricultural metaphors to illustrate spiritual truths. 2. CorinthA major city in ancient Greece, known for its diverse population and cultural influences. The church in Corinth faced various theological and moral challenges, which Paul addresses in his letters. 3. Resurrection of the DeadThe central theme of 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul defends the doctrine of the resurrection, emphasizing its importance to the Christian faith. Teaching Points Understanding the MetaphorPaul uses the metaphor of sowing a seed to explain the resurrection. Just as a seed must be buried and transformed to become a plant, our earthly bodies must die to be raised in a new, glorified form. The Nature of TransformationThe transformation from seed to plant illustrates the radical change that occurs in the resurrection. Our future bodies will be different and more glorious than our current ones. Hope in the ResurrectionThis passage provides hope and assurance of the resurrection. Believers can look forward to a future where their bodies are transformed and perfected. Living with an Eternal PerspectiveUnderstanding the temporary nature of our earthly bodies should encourage us to live with an eternal perspective, focusing on spiritual growth and eternal values. Faith in God's PowerThe transformation of the seed into a plant is a testament to God's creative power. Believers are called to trust in God's ability to bring about the resurrection and transformation of our bodies. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from 1 Corinthians 15
What does spiritual harvest mean?
In 1 Corinthians 15:35-44, how can the resurrection body be both 'spiritual' and a continuation of the same body that died?
How do we reconcile apparent inconsistencies between 1 Corinthians 15:5-7 and the various Gospel accounts of Jesus' resurrection appearances?
Why does 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 omit the empty tomb narrative found in the Gospels?(37, 38) God givethit abody.--Here it is implied that, though the seed grows up, as we say, "in the ordinary course of Nature," it is God who not only has originally established but continually sustains that order. Each seed rises with its own "body;" a corn seed grows up into corn, an acorn into an oak. All through this passage the word "body" is used in a general sense for "organism," so as to keep strictly and vividly before the reader the ultimate truth to illustrate which these analogies are introduced. The points of analogy between the sowing and growth of seed and the life and resurrection of man are not, as some writers put it--(1) the seed is sown, and man is buried; (2) the seed rots, and man's body decays; (3) the seed grows up, and man is raised. Such a series of analogies are misleading, for there is no necessity for the body of man to decay, but only a necessity for it to die ( 1Corinthians 15:51-52). The points of analogy are these:--(1) The seed is sown in the earth, and man is born into the world; (2) the seed dies and decays--man dies; (3) the seed grows through its very decay--man rises through death. Verse 37. - Not that body that shall be. This deep remark should have checked the idly and offensively materialistic form in which the doctrine of the resurrection is often taught. But bare grain. Wickliffe, "a naked corne." In this passage, almost alone in all his Epistles, St. Paul, who does not seem to have been at all a close observer of external phenomena, uses metaphors drawn from natural life. His usual metaphors are chiefly architectural and agonistic - derived, that is, from buildings and games. That he was not a student of nature arose, no doubt, partly kern his Semitic cast of mind, but chiefly from his being short sighted, and from his having spent most of his early life in large cities. It may chance;if it so happen, (see note on 1 Corinthians 14:10). The English word "chance" occurs but four times in the whole Bible ( 1 Samuel 6:9; Ecclesiastes 9:11). In Luke 10:31 the words rendered "by chance" mean rather "by coincidence."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek Andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.whatὃ(ho)Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 3739:Who, which, what, that.you sowσπείρεις(speireis)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Strong's 4687:To sow, spread, scatter. Probably strengthened from spao; to scatter, i.e. Sow.[is] notοὐ(ou)Adverb Strong's 3756:No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.theτὸ(to)Article - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.bodyσῶμα(sōma)Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 4983:Body, flesh; the body of the Church. From sozo; the body, used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.thatτὸ(to)Article - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.will be,γενησόμενον(genēsomenon)Verb - Future Participle Middle - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 1096:A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.butἀλλὰ(alla)Conjunction Strong's 235:But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.[just]σπείρεις(speireis)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Strong's 4687:To sow, spread, scatter. Probably strengthened from spao; to scatter, i.e. Sow.a seed,κόκκον(kokkon)Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 2848:A kernel, grain, seed. Apparently a primary word; a kernel of seed.perhapsεἰ(ei)Conjunction Strong's 1487:If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.of wheatσίτου(sitou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Strong's 4621:Wheat, grain. Also plural irregular neuter sita of uncertain derivation; grain, especially wheat.orἤ(ē)Conjunction Strong's 2228:Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.somethingτινος(tinos)Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Singular Strong's 5100:Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.else.λοιπῶν(loipōn)Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural Strong's 3062:Left, left behind, the remainder, the rest, the others. Masculine plural of a derivative of leipo; remaining ones.
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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 15:37 That which you sow you don't sow (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor) |