Galatians 5:23

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,"

Key Reflection

In Galatians 5:23, Paul delineates the characteristics produced by the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers, emphasizing a holistic transformation. These attributes—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faith—represent not only individual virtues but also their interconnectedness, reflecting the fullness of God’s character within the Christian life. This list underscores that true spirituality is characterized by a heart filled with love for others and a settled trust in God, grounded in inner peace and external acts of kindness, all sustained by the joy and patience imparted by the Spirit.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 23. Meekness. See Barnes "Mt 5:5" §. Temperance. The word here used egkrateia means, properly, self-control, continence. It is derived from en and kratov, strength; and has reference to the power or ascendancy which we have over exciting and evil passions of all kinds. It denotes the self-rule which a man has over the evil propensities of his nature. Our word temperance we use now in a much more limited sense, as refering mainly to abstinence from intoxicating drinks. But the word here used is employed in a much more extended signification.

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