Galatians 5:17 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Flesh and Spirit are set against each other, and their conflict is felt within the believer.
What Does Galatians 5:17 Mean?
Paul names the inner war. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh — two opposing pulls within the same person, each straining against the other. They are contrary the one to the other, and their struggle is no small thing.
This explains why the Christian life so often feels like a battle. So that ye cannot do the things that ye would — the believer who means to do good finds resistance, and the one drawn to evil finds the Spirit checking him. Paul is honest about the conflict every earnest believer knows. Yet naming the war is also hope: the Spirit is present and pressing, and the field is not surrendered to the flesh.
Galatians 5:17 in the Original Language
sarx (σάρξ), 'flesh' -- human nature as the seat of self-centered desire.
Frequently Asked Questions About Galatians 5:17
What does Galatians 5:17 mean?
Flesh and Spirit are set against each other, and their conflict is felt within the believer.