Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
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
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, a quiet mind, kind acts, well-doing, faith,
Cross References
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his …
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I …
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for …
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares …
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep …
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, …