Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
- BSB Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
- NKJV Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
- NASB Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.
- NLT Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked, for whatever a person sows he will also reap. Our actions have real consequences under God's just governance.
Overview
Paul states a sobering spiritual principle: God will not be treated with contempt, and the moral choices we make yield a corresponding harvest. This warns against the self-deception of thinking one can live for the flesh without consequence. The verse calls believers to take seriously how they live, knowing God's justice is sure.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 26
- 2 Cor 9:6But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
- Hos 10:12Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
- Job 4:8Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
- Rom 2:6–10Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
- 1 Cor 15:33Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
- Prov 11:18The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
- Prov 1:31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
- Eph 5:6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
- Hos 8:7For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
- 1 Cor 6:9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
- Prov 6:14Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
- Job 15:31Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
- Luke 16:25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
- Jas 1:22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
- 1 Jn 3:7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
- Obad 1:3The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
- Gal 6:3For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
- Jas 1:26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
- Job 13:8–9Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
- 1 Cor 3:18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
- Prov 6:19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
- Jude 1:18How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
- 1 Jn 1:8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Luke 21:8And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
- 2 Th 2:3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
- Jer 37:9Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.
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Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
How Galatians 6:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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