WHAT IT MEANS
Fruit of the Spirit
The Spirit produces a recognizable character in believers that cannot be reduced to rule-keeping or religious appearance.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
CONTEXT
What is happening here?
Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with life led by the Spirit and describes the kind of character that grows from that life.
APPLY IT
For today
Ask the Spirit to grow one area of Christlike character that is especially weak in you right now.
Read it in 5 translations
KJV King James Version
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
BSB Berean Standard Bible
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
WEB World English Bible
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
ASV American Standard Version
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,
Surrounding context — Galatians 5
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
ὁG3588 · hothe/this/whoδὲG1161 · dethenκαρπὸςG2590 · karposfruitτοῦG3588 · hothe/this/whoπνεύματόςG4151 · pneumaspirit/breath: spiritἐστινG1510 · eimito beἀγάπη,G26 · agapēloveχαρά,G5479 · charajoyεἰρήνη,G1515 · eirēnēpeaceμακροθυμία,G3115 · makrothumiapatienceχρηστότης,G5544 · chrēstotēskindnessἀγαθωσύνη,G19 · agathōsunēgoodnessπίστις,G4102 · pistisfaith
Cross-references
Colossians 3:12-17Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;1 Corinthians 13:4-7Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,John 15:5I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.James 3:17-18But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.John 15:2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.Ephesians 5:9(For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)Psalm 1:3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.John 15:16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.Philippians 4:4-9Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice.Romans 7:4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.2 Peter 1:5-8And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;1 Peter 1:22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently:Philippians 1:11Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.Matthew 12:33Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit.1 Corinthians 13:13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.1 John 4:7-16Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.Romans 12:9-18[Let] love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.Colossians 1:10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING
Spurgeon on Galatians 5:22
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HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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