In his letter to the Galatians, Paul contrasts two ways of living: “the works of the flesh” and “the fruit of the Spirit”. The list of the fruit of the Spirit is short, but it describes a whole life shaped by 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.
King James Version
One fruit, many flavours
Paul writes “fruit”, not “fruits”. The nine qualities are not gifts given to different people; together they form the character of every believer in whom the Spirit lives. A fruit also grows slowly: it is not produced by effort alone, but by staying connected to the source of life (compare John 15:5).
Three groups of three
- Toward God: love, joy, peace — the inner life that flows from knowing God.
- Toward others: patience, kindness, goodness — how we treat people, especially difficult ones.
- Toward ourselves: faithfulness, gentleness, self-control — the discipline of a life that can be trusted.
Works of the flesh, fruit of the Spirit
Just before this passage, Paul lists the works of the flesh (verses 19–21). The contrast is not between bad people and good people, but between living by our own desires and letting the Spirit lead us (verse 25: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”).
Questions for a small group
- Which part of the fruit of the Spirit do people see most clearly in your life? Which do you need most?
- Why does Paul say “against such there is no law”?
- What practical habit helps you “walk in the Spirit” each day?
For a teaching series, give each week one word with its verse on a slide and a short challenge for the week. Read Galatians 5 in the online Bible.
