Galatians 6:9 Text
King James Version (KJV)
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
World English Bible (WEB)
Let’s not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up.
What Galatians 6:9 Means
Paul encourages believers who may be tempted to quit. 'Weary' (KJV) and 'give up' (WEB, 'faint' in the KJV) describe losing heart in the middle of a long effort. The 'well doing' he has in mind is practical goodness: carrying each other's burdens, supporting teachers, and treating people kindly, as the surrounding verses show. The image is farming: you sow, then wait, and the harvest comes 'in due season', meaning at God's appointed time, not on demand. The condition, 'if we faint not', says the harvest comes to those who keep going. The verse does not promise that every kind act will be rewarded or noticed by the people who benefit from it; it says that, in the end, persistent goodness will not be wasted. It is encouragement for tired people.
Context of Galatians 6:9
Paul, an apostle, wrote Galatians to churches in the region of Galatia, in what is now Turkey, probably in the middle of the first century. Much of the letter defends salvation by faith rather than by keeping the law. In chapter 6 he turns to everyday life in the Spirit-led community, talking about restoring someone who has stumbled, bearing burdens, and sowing and reaping. To read the whole book, see random verse from Galatians.
How to Apply Galatians 6:9
Caring for a sick relative, serving in a church, or being kind to a difficult coworker can wear anyone down. You might rest without feeling guilty, ask someone to share the load, and remember that unseen faithfulness counts. Choose one good thing to keep doing, and let the timing be God's.
Related Verses
- 2 Thessalonians 3:13 – But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
- 1 Corinthians 15:58 – Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
- Hebrews 6:10 – For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
- Galatians 6:7 – Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Looking for more verses on this theme? Browse Bible Verses About Patience, each with a short note on its context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'in due season we shall reap' mean?
It means that the results of doing good come at the right time, though not necessarily soon. Paul uses the picture of a farmer who plants and waits, trusting that the harvest will come in its proper season.
Is Galatians 6:9 about getting rewards for good deeds?
Not in a transactional way. Paul encourages believers to keep doing good without giving up, trusting that God will bring fruit from it. It is meant to comfort tired people, not to be a formula for earning blessings.
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