Galatians 5:22
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
love--the leader of the band of graces (Co1 13:1-13). gentleness--Greek, "benignity," conciliatory to others; whereas "goodness," though ready to do good, has not such suavity of manner [JEROME]. ALFORD translates, "kindness." faith--"faithfulness"; opposed to "heresies" [BENGEL]. ALFORD refers to Co1 13:7, "Believeth all things": faith in the widest sense, toward God and man. "Trustfulness" [CONYBEARE and HOWSON].
Open source ↗Meekness,.... Humility and lowliness of mind, of which Christ is an eminent example and pattern; and which the Holy Spirit from him transcribes into the heart of a regenerate person; and lies in having mean thoughts of himself, in walking humbly with God, acknowledging every favour, being thankful for every blessing, and depending on his grace, and in behaving with modesty and humility among men. The last of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned is temperance, or "continence"; and designs both chastity and sobriety, and particularly moderation in eating and drinking. It may be observed, that these fruits of the Spirit are opposed to the works of the flesh. So love is opposed to hatred; joy to emulations and envying; peace to variance, strife, and seditions; longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and meekness, to wrath and murders; faith to idolatry, witchcraft, and heresies; and temperance to adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, drunkenness, and revellings. Against such there is no law; meaning, against such fruits, graces, and good things; these being perfectly agreeable to the law of God, which is holy, just, and good, and spiritual; and are so far from being forbidden by it, that they are highly esteemed and approved of by it: or against persons that are possessed of such fruits; for these appear to be in the spirit, and to be led by the Spirit; and therefore are not under the law, and have nothing to fear from it, as a terrifying, accusing, cursing, and condemning law. The works of the flesh, and they that are of the flesh, are such that come under the notice and lash of the law; and not the fruits of the Spirit, and they that are after the Spirit, as such are who partake of his fruit.
Open source ↗5:22 Unlike following the sinful nature (5:19-21), letting the Holy Spirit guide (5:16) produces a life pleasing to God, which human effort and the law cannot do (cp. John 15:1-8). • These virtues directly address the issues in the church of Galatia. • love: The greatest Christian virtue encompasses all the others (1 Cor 13:4-7). Only the Spirit of God can produce in us love for those who hate us (Matt 5:43-48; Luke 6:35-36). • Joy produced by the Spirit does not depend on circumstances (Rom 15:13; 2 Cor 6:10; 8:2; 1 Thes 1:6). • Peace with God creates internal well-being (Rom 5:1; Eph 2:15; Phil 4:6-7; Col 1:20) that spills into our relationships with others so that we become peacemakers (Matt 5:9; Rom 8:6; 12:18; 14:17-19; 2 Cor 13:11; Eph 4:3; 6:15). • Patience (or tolerance, or long-suffering) gives us forbearance toward other people and endurance under unfavorable circumstances (Eph 4:2; 2 Tim 4:2; Jas 5:10-11). God is patient with us (Exod 34:6; Ps 103:8; Rom 2:4; 9:22; 1 Tim 1:16; 2 Pet 3:15) and promises his presence with those who are patient with others (Isa 57:15). • Kindness connotes generosity, a giving spirit that reflects how God treats us (Rom 2:4; 11:22; Titus 3:4-6). • goodness: Cp. Rom 15:14; Eph 5:9; 2 Thes 1:11. • Faithfulness (or faith) means exercising good faith and fidelity in our relationships, just as God does with us (1 Cor 1:9; 10:13; 2 Thes 3:3).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
From the web
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Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.
Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.