And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse isn't just about avoiding weariness; it's about actively fighting against the temptation to "lose heart" or become "faint-hearted" when doing good. This subtle distinction highlights that the real battle isn't just physical tiredness, but a deeper spiritual discouragement that can drain our will to persevere, even when our body is still able.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is contrasting sowing to the flesh with sowing to the Spirit, which involves generously supporting those who teach them. He encourages them not to grow tired or give up in their efforts to do good, likening it to a farmer patiently waiting for a harvest. This perseverance in spiritual sowing will ultimately lead to eternal life, God's promised reward.
Ever feel like you're pouring energy into something, but seeing little return? The apostle Paul understood this struggle.
Paul urges believers not to 'grow weary' or 'faint' in doing good. This isn't just about physical exhaustion, but a deeper discouragement. It’s about losing the spiritual drive and willingness to continue in acts of kindness, generosity, and obedience to God's will. The original Greek words highlight this: one speaks of losing courage or spirit, while the other describes a physical loosening or relaxation of strength, like weary limbs. Both point to a state where the heart’s commitment falters, making it hard to keep going.
What if every act of kindness, no matter how small or unseen, is part of a grander planting for an incredible harvest?
The Bible uses the powerful metaphor of farming here. Just as a farmer sows seeds and patiently waits for the harvest, believers are called to persevere in doing good. This verse assures us that there is a harvest coming. 'In due season' means God’s perfect, appointed time. This harvest isn't just about future heavenly rewards, though that's the ultimate promise. It can also include experiencing the positive results of our faithfulness, seeing good produced in this life, and the growth of our own spiritual character. The key is to keep sowing faithfully, trusting God’s timing.
Understand the original words
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ekkakeō · Greek Verb
To lose heart, become discouraged, or falter in one's commitment to godly living or mission, often due to trials or the delay of expected outcomes.
kairos · Greek Noun
The God-ordained timeframe or specific moment when His purposes and promises are fulfilled according to His sovereign plan.
This verse echoes themes Paul addressed in earlier letters, highlighting his consistent encouragement to the early churches to maintain faith and good works despite hardships, using the agricultural metaphor of sowing and reaping.
c. AD 50-55
Paul Writes 1 Corinthians
Paul encourages believers to avoid becoming weary in doing good, especially in supporting ministers, drawing parallels to athletic contests and agricultural labor.
c. AD 55-57
Paul Writes 2 Corinthians
Paul continues to address the challenges faced by believers, including the need for perseverance in ministry and generosity amidst opposition.
c. AD 57— this verse
Paul Writes Galatians
Paul admonishes the Galatian churches not to grow weary in doing good, likening perseverance to the patient labor of a farmer awaiting harvest.
c. AD 62-67
Paul Writes Hebrews
The author of Hebrews strongly encourages believers facing persecution to persevere, drawing on examples of faith from the Old Testament and the ultimate reward in Christ.
This passage uses the same farming metaphor, urging patience and perseverance in waiting for the harvest, directly paralleling Paul's exhortation not to grow weary in doing good.
2 Thessalonians 3:13This verse encourages believers not to 'grow weary' in doing good, echoing the same sentiment and Greek word used in Galatians 6:9, highlighting the ongoing nature of Christian action.
Matthew 13:30Jesus' parable of the wheat and the weeds speaks of allowing both to grow until the harvest, which is the 'end of the age.' This illustrates the concept of 'due season' for reaping, emphasizing that the full harvest comes at God's appointed time.
Romans 8:28This verse assures believers that God works all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. It provides a foundational trust that even in weary seasons, God is orchestrating a positive outcome for our efforts.
Hebrews 12:3This passage directly addresses enduring hardship by looking to Jesus, who 'endured such opposition from sinners that you may not grow weary and lose heart.' It connects the idea of not growing weary to faith and perseverance in the face of difficulties.
cambridgeGalatians 6:9: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
9 . The metaphor which runs through these verses suggests a caution. The husbandman after committing the seed to the ground, ‘waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it … Be ye also patient,’ James 5:7-8 . The mention of ‘life everlasting’ might seem to make the time of reaping so distant as to grow dim to the eye of hope. It is difficult to go on sowing in faith and…
vincentGalatians 6:9: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Be weary (ἐνκακῶμεν)Lit. faint or lose heart. Comp. 2 Thessalonians 3:13.In due season (καιρῷ ἰδίῳ)In the season which is peculiarly the harvest-time of each form of well-doing. See on Galatians 6:5.Faint (ἐκλυόμενοι)Only here in Paul. See Matthew 15:32; Mark 8:3; Hebrews 12:3, Hebrews 12:5. Lit. to be loosened or relaxed, like the limbs of the weary.
The verse isn't just about avoiding weariness; it's about actively fighting against the temptation to "lose heart" or become "faint-hearted" when doing good. This subtle distinction highlights that the real battle isn't just physical tiredness, but a deeper spiritual discouragement that can drain our will to persevere, even when our body is still able.
Paul is contrasting sowing to the flesh with sowing to the Spirit, which involves generously supporting those who teach them. He encourages them not to grow tired or give up in their efforts to do good, likening it to a farmer patiently waiting for a harvest. This perseverance in spiritual sowing will ultimately lead to eternal life, God's promised reward.
Paul is contrasting sowing to the flesh with sowing to the Spirit, which involves generously supporting those who teach them. He encourages them not to grow tired or give up in their efforts to do good, likening it to a farmer patiently waiting for a harvest. This perseverance in spiritual sowing will ultimately lead to eternal life, God's promised reward.
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." — The verse isn't just about avoiding weariness; it's about actively fighting against the temptation to "lose heart" or become "faint-hearted" when doing good. This subtle distinction highlights that t…
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Last reviewed October 2026