4:36a

Already the reaper draws his wages: There is an interpretation issue here. There are two words that the word Already could be connected to.

(1) The word Already connects with (or modifies) the word draws and belongs to verse 36. For example:

Already the one who reaps is receiving wages (English Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version)

(2) The word Already connects with (or modifies) the word white (or ripe) and belongs to verse 35. For example:

the fields are already white for harvest! (NET Bible)

(Revised English Bible, King James Version, Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version)

The New Jerusalem Bible translates Already in both verses. The UBS Handbook Greek text supports interpretation (1), as do most commentaries. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) as well.

the reaper: A reaper is someone who harvests crops. This is a metaphor. People (like the Samaritan woman) who bring people to Jesus are like people who reap or harvest a field. The point of comparison is that they both gather things that are ready. A reaper gathers a crop, while a person who shares the gospel gathers people into God’s kingdom.

In some languages a metaphor like this is not clearly understood. It may be necessary to explain the metaphor. For example:

The one who gathers the harvest/people ⌊to bring to me⌋
-or-
Those who cause others to come to me
-or-
And he who harvests, ⌊that is, he who caused them to understand so that they might believe in me⌋

draws his wages: This is a metaphor. It refers to receiving a benefit or reward for one’s work. The reaper is like someone who tells others about Jesus and persuades them to believe in him. Those evangelists are like people who earn wages, because they receive benefit (in the form of blessings) from their work. In some languages a metaphor like this is not clearly understood.

Here are some other ways to translate this metaphor:

• Change the metaphor into a simile. For example:

A person who leads others to me is like a reaper receiving his wages.
-or-
He who harvests gets a wage. In a similar way he who causes people to believe in me will get a reward.

• Make the meaning of the figure of speech explicit. For example:

The person who gathers others and brings them to me is receiving a reward from God.
-or-
God will give you a reward when you cause people to believe in me.

4:36b

and gathers a crop for eternal life: This is a metaphor referring to the harvest. The metaphor gathers a crop refers to leading people to Jesus. Those who believe and follow Jesus receive eternal life.

There are several ways to translate this metaphor:

• Keep the figure of speech. For example:

he harvests the crop for eternal life (New International Version)

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

The people they bring to me are given life forever. They are like the crop that a farmer gathers.
-or-
As a farmer harvests a crop, so they are leading people to me to receive eternal life.

• Keep the metaphor and explain the meaning. For example:

the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life (New Living Translation (2004))

eternal life: The word eternal refers to something that does not end. The phrase eternal life refers to the new spiritual life that God gives us when we believe in Jesus. It is life that never ends. See the note at 3:15 and how you translated the phrase there and in 4:14c. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

forever life ⌊from God⌋
-or-

⌊spiritual⌋ life that never ends
-or-
living forever ⌊with God⌋

4:36c

so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that indicates the purpose of the reaper gathering fruit. He does that so that both he and the sower may rejoice together. A sower is one who plants seeds. A reaper is one who harvests the crop. At harvest time, both the sower and the reaper can be glad when they see the result of their work.

Here is another way to translate this clause:

So the person who plants the grain and the person who harvests it are happy together (God’s Word)

The word sower is a metaphor for the person who speaks God’s message. The word reaper is a metaphor for the person who helps others accept the message. In some languages a metaphor like this may not be clearly understood. It may be necessary to change the metaphor to a simile and explain the meaning. For example:

⌊The one who tells others about me is like⌋ a person who sows seed. ⌊And the one who helps people to accept me is like⌋ the one who reaps the crop. They will rejoice together.

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