Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.(A) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a];(B) rather, serve one another(C) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](D) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,(E) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.(F) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.(G) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want.(H) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,(I) you are not under the law.(J)

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,(K) impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.(L) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.(M)

22 But the fruit(N) of the Spirit is love,(O) joy, peace,(P) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.(Q) Against such things there is no law.(R) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh(S) with its passions and desires.(T) 25 Since we live by the Spirit,(U) let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,(V) provoking and envying each other.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.
  2. Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18
  3. Galatians 5:17 Or you do not do what

13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only (A)do not use liberty as an (B)opportunity for the flesh, but (C)through love serve one another. 14 For (D)all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: (E)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Walking in the Spirit

16 I say then: (F)Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For (G)the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, (H)so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But (I)if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now (J)the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [a]adultery, [b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that (K)those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But (L)the fruit of the Spirit is (M)love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, (N)goodness, (O)faithfulness, 23 [d]gentleness, self-control. (P)Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s (Q)have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 (R)If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 (S)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:19 NU omits adultery
  2. Galatians 5:19 sexual immorality
  3. Galatians 5:21 NU omits murders
  4. Galatians 5:23 meekness

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,[a] but through love become enslaved to one another.(A) 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”(B) 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

The Works of the Flesh

16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.(C) 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want.(D) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.(E) 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery,(F) 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy,[b] drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.(G)

The Fruit of the Spirit

22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,(H) 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ[c] have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.(I) 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.

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Footnotes

  1. 5.13 Gk the flesh
  2. 5.21 Other ancient authorities add murder
  3. 5.24 Other ancient authorities read Christ Jesus