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Galatians 5:16

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

KJV

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

Greek NT

Dico autem : Spiritu ambulate, et desideria carnis non perficietis.

Vulgate

But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

ASV

I say then: Walk in the spirit: and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

10 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
λέγω
lego
verb · 2256×
μή
me
particle · 1033×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
περιπατέω
peripateo
verb · 94×
πνεῦμα
pneuma
noun · 379×
σάρξ
sarx
noun · 147×
τελέω
teleo
verb · 28×
ἐπιθυμία
epithumia
noun · 38×

Themes

Historic Christian voices

9 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§2515Etymologically, "concupiscence" can refer to any intense form of human desire. Christian theology has given it a particular meaning: the movement of the sensitive appetite contrary to the operation of the human reason. the apostle St. Paul identifies it with the rebellion of the "flesh" against the "spirit."301 Concupiscence stems from the disobedience of the first sin. It unse…
§2744Prayer is a vital necessity. Proof from the contrary is no less convincing: if we do not allow the Spirit to lead us, we fall back into the slavery of sin.38 How can the Holy Spirit be our life if our heart is far from him? Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible, what is difficult, easy.... For it is impossible, utterly impossible, for the man who …
§2819"The kingdom of God (is) righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."90 The end-time in which we live is the age of the outpouring of the Spirit. Ever since Pentecost, a decisive battle has been joined between "the flesh" and the Spirit.91 Only a pure soul can boldly say: "Thy kingdom come." One who has heard Paul say, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies,…
He saith to me, "Put away from thee all evil desire, and clothe thyself with good and holy desire. For clothed with this desire, thou shalt hate evil desire, and shalt bridle and direct it as thou wilt. For evil desire is savage, and is tamed with difficulty."
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. The Christian is simultaneously righteous and a sinner — righteous in Christ through faith, yet still a sinner in his own nature…
'This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.' See Gal. v. 16-17. Here Paul describes the daily battle of the Christian life. The Christian is not a man without sin, but a m…

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 13:2 — And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
  • 1Cor 15:50 — Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
  • 1John 2:15 — Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
  • 1Pet 1:14 — As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
  • 1Pet 1:22 — Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
  • 1Pet 2:11 — Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
  • 1Pet 2:11 — Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
  • 1Pet 4:1 — Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
  • 1Pet 4:6 — For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
  • 1Thess 2:12 — That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
  • 2Cor 7:1 — Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
  • 2Cor 9:6 — But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
  • 2Cor 10:2 — But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
  • Col 2:11 — In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
  • Col 3:5 — Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
  • Eph 2:3 — Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
  • Eph 2:3 — Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
  • Ezek 36:27 — And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
  • Gal 3:17 — And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
  • Gal 5:18 — But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
  • Gal 5:19 — Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
  • Gal 5:22 — But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
  • Gal 5:24 — And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
  • Gal 5:24 — And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
  • Gal 5:25 — If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
  • Gal 6:8 — For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
  • Gen 6:3 — And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
  • John 3:6 — That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
  • John 15:7 — If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
  • Jude 1:16 — These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
  • Jude 1:19 — These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
  • Matt 26:41 — Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
  • Rom 6:12 — Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
  • Rom 6:12 — Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
  • Rom 7:5 — For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
  • Rom 8:1 — There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
  • Rom 8:1 — There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
  • Rom 8:4 — That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
  • Rom 8:4 — That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
  • Rom 8:12 — Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.