Paragraph 6:7–8

This paragraph illustrates two different ways that people respond to the blessings of following Christ. These two ways are like the ways that a farm may respond to rain. When God sends rain on a farm, it may produce useful plants. It is like people who use God’s blessings to do what pleases him. Another farm may receive rain but produce only thorns, so that the owner must burn it to destroy the thorns. This is like people who do not respond properly to God’s blessings.

See the General Comment on 6:7–8 at the end of 6:8b for an example of how to translate this illustration.

6:7a

For: This verse illustrates two different responses to the blessings of following Christ. Some of these blessings are listed in 6:4–5 (“the heavenly gift, the Holy Spirit, the word of God, the powers of the coming age”). The author introduces the illustration with the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For.

Some other ways to introduce the illustration are:

• Use a phrase that indicates what the paragraph will illustrate. For example:

Some people are like land that…. (New Century Version)
-or-
An example of this is earth/ground. If it is…

• Change the order of phrases in the verse so that 6:7c (“receives a blessing from God”) comes at the beginning. For example:

God blesses the land which… (Good News Translation)
-or-

⌊ The people whom⌋God blesses are like land…

It is good to read 6:4–8 carefully again before you decide how to connect 6:4–6 with 6:7–8. In some languages an introductory word or phrase may not be needed, as in the New Revised Standard Version. See the General Comment on 6:7–8 at the end of 6:8b for more information.

land that drinks in the rain often falling on it: This phrase describes a farm or garden that often receives rain. The verb drinks in means “absorbs” or “soaks in.” It implies that the farm has a type of soil that absorbs the rain so that the plants can use it. Describe this process in a natural way in your language.

Some ways to translate this phrase are:

the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on it (NET Bible)
-or-
Some people are like a farm that receives plenty of rain

land: The word land refers here to land that is farmed. Some other ways to translate it are:

farm
-or-
field
-or-
ground

6:7b

that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended:
This clause refers to land where useful plants grow. These plants could be food crops or crops that are used for other purposes. In some languages it is not natural to speak of ground or land producing a crop. Some other ways to translate the meaning are:

where plants grow that are useful to the land owner
-or-
the plants are healthy there and this is of great value to the owner of the land

for whom it is tended: The verb it is tended is passive. The phrase implies that people farm the land for themselves or for other owners. In some languages it is more natural to use an active verb. For example:

The land produces a good crop for those who cultivate/dig (New Century Version)

6:7c

receives the blessing of God: The phrase receives the blessing of God indicates that God does good to the land. He continues to cause it to be fruitful. For example:

God blesses well-watered land that produces a crop.
-or-

⌊ People who are like⌋such land receive God’s favor.

the blessing: The word blessing refers to favor from God. It implies that God is pleased with the person or things that he blesses, and he does good things for them. See blessing, sense C1(a), in Key Biblical Terms.

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