2 Timothy 2:6 (ASV)

Passage

The husbandmen that laboreth must be the first to partake of the fruits.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 2:4 No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.

2 Timothy 2:5 And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowded, except he have contended lawfully.

2 Timothy 2:6 The husbandmen that laboreth must be the first to partake of the fruits.

2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; for the Lord shall give thee understanding in all things.

2 Timothy 2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "husbandmen", "laboreth", "must", "first", "partake", and "fruits". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "husbandmen" and "laboreth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "And if also a man contend in..." into verse 7's "Consider what I say for the Lord...", so "husbandmen" and "laboreth" belong inside that flow. In 2 Timothy context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "husbandmen" and "laboreth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.