Galatians 5:22

KJV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

— Galatians 5:22, King James Version
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Galatians 5:22 (King James Version).

"Galatians 5:22." King James Version. Web.

Galatians 5:22, King James Version.

Study Note

Study Note

The nine qualities listed as the 'fruit of the Spirit' — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — stand as an ethogram of life shaped by the Spirit. The singular 'fruit' (karpos) rather than 'fruits' suggests an organic unity: these are not separate virtues to be cultivated individually but one integrated life produced by a single source. Paul contrasts this with 'the works of the flesh' (verses 19-21), whose list of fifteen items suggests human effort at sin; the Spirit's fruit comes by growth, not manufacture. The list has been widely used in Christian character formation, parenting, and organizational culture, often treated as a standalone virtue list despite its polemical Galatian context.

Other Translations

ASV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

YLT

And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,

BBE

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, a quiet mind, kind acts, well-doing, faith,

Cross References