Galatians 5:18 Meaning and Explanation
“But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Those led by the Spirit live in a freedom the law could never give.
What Does Galatians 5:18 Mean?
Paul returns to the letter's great theme and joins it to the Spirit. If ye be led of the Spirit — guided, moved, directed from within — then ye are not under the law as a system of external constraint and condemnation. The Spirit accomplishes what the law could only demand.
To be led is gentler than to be driven. The law stood over a person as a stern overseer; the Spirit leads from within as a trusted guide. The believer is not lawless, for the Spirit produces the very righteousness the law sought. But the relationship has changed entirely: no longer slaves under a code, but children led by the living Spirit of God into the good they were made for.
Galatians 5:18 in the Original Language
ago (ἄγω), 'led' -- to be guided or led along, as by a trusted hand.
Frequently Asked Questions About Galatians 5:18
What does Galatians 5:18 mean?
Those led by the Spirit live in a freedom the law could never give.