2 Timothy 2:6 (LSB)

Passage

The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.

Nearby Context

2 Timothy 2:4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

2 Timothy 2:5 And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

2 Timothy 2:6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.

2 Timothy 2:7 Understand what I say, for the Lord will give you insight in everything.

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 "hard-working", "farmer", "ought", "first", "receive", "share", and "crops". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hard-working" and "farmer", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "And also if anyone competes as an..." into verse 7's "Understand what I say for the Lord...", so "hard-working" and "farmer" 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 "hard-working" and "farmer" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.