Galatians 5:22–23: Edit history

Context

In Galatians 5, Paul urges his readers not to return to the yoke of the law after Christ has set them free, yet he also warns them, "use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh" (v. 13). From verse 16 onward he calls them to walk in the Spirit and describes the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. In verses 19–21 he lists "the works of the flesh," such as fornication, idolatry, hatred, variance, and drunkenness. Verses 22–23 present the contrasting fruit of the Spirit and conclude, "against such there is no law."

Interpretation

• Reading it as a single fruit: "The works of the flesh" is plural, while "the fruit of the Spirit" is singular. A widely accepted interpretation therefore reads the nine qualities not as nine separate fruits but as various aspects of a single character produced by the one Spirit. Some interpreters also note that love stands first and regard the remaining qualities as expressions of love.
• The work of the Spirit and human effort: The Reformed tradition holds that the fruit is the work of the Spirit and that believers grow in it through the means of grace, such as the Word and prayer. The Wesleyan tradition and denominations that emphasize holiness stress that the heart can be wholly renewed by the work of the Spirit. Both perspectives emphasize that the term "fruit" denotes something that grows rather than a product achieved by human effort.

Questions of Application

The relationship between this fruit and the spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12 is frequently discussed. Pentecostal and charismatic churches teach that believers should seek both the gifts and the fruit, while those wary of charismatic emphases maintain that the true mark of being filled with the Spirit is the fruit rather than gifts such as speaking in tongues. Both sides generally agree that possessing gifts without bearing fruit is a problem. The Greek word pistis, rendered "faith" in the KJV, is explained as meaning "faithfulness," referring not only to loyalty in one's office or duties but also to trustworthiness of character.

In Korean Churches

In Korean churches, the passage is frequently used as a Sunday school memory verse and as a theme in character-education materials and small-group study lessons, and children's songs about the nine fruits are widely sung.

Related Passages

• Galatians 5:16–21
• 1 Corinthians 12:4–11
• John 15:4–5
• 2 Peter 1:5–7