Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
King James Version
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
New International Version
Moral Guidance
In Galatians 5, Paul contrasts the “works of the flesh” – sinful desires and behaviors that characterize the unredeemed human nature – with the “fruit of the Spirit” that should increasingly mark believers.
The fruit of the Spirit represents the virtues and graces the Holy Spirit produces in the lives of Christians as they submit to Him and grow in Christlikeness. These stand in stark contrast to fleshly sins.
The fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control reflect the very character of God. As believers walk in the Spirit, evidencing these fruits, they take on the moral likeness of Christ Himself.
This passage reminds believers that spiritual growth is not about self-effort but about allowing the Spirit to cultivate new virtues that demonstrate a transformed heart. The fruits of the Spirit are not earned but developed in believers through the Spirit’s work.
Living by the Spirit and exhibiting these fruits also enables believers to fulfill the moral law of God in a way impossible in one’s own strength. Against these fruits, no law stands condemned. They represent not legalistic rule-following but the outflow of a renewed nature.
Galatians 5:22-23 describes how dependence on the Holy Spirit practically impacts the believer’s life and character. The fruit produced by the Spirit provides clear evidence of spiritual growth as well as the transforming power of the gospel. These verses offer a concise moral vision for Christian conduct.
