2 Timothy 2:6 (DRB)

Passage

The husbandman that laboureth must first partake of the fruits.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 2:4 No man, being a soldier to God, entangleth himself with secular businesses: that he may please him to whom he hath engaged himself.

2 Timothy 2:5 For he also that striveth for the mastery is not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

2 Timothy 2:6 The husbandman that laboureth must first partake of the fruits.

2 Timothy 2:7 Understand what I say: for the Lord will give thee in all things understanding.

2 Timothy 2:8 Be mindful that the Lord Jesus Christ is risen again from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel:

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "For he also that striveth for the..." into verse 7's "Understand what I say for the Lord...", so "husbandman" and "laboureth" 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 "husbandman" and "laboureth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.