God’s Word Translation
Galatians 5:20
20idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions,
Galatians 5:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
- New International Version (NIV)idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
- English Standard Version (ESV)idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
- New King James Version (NKJV)idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
Context of Galatians 5:20
18If your spiritual nature is your guide, you are not subject to Moses’ laws. 19Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity, idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions, 21envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and similar things. I’ve told you in the past and I’m telling you again that people who do these kinds of things will not inherit God’s kingdom. 22But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Read all of Galatians 5Galatians 5:20 word by word
εἰδωλολατρία, φαρμακεία, ἔχθραι, ἔρις, ζῆλος, θυμοί, ἐριθεῖαι, διχοστασίαι, αἱρέσεις,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Idolatryεἰδωλολατρείαeidōlolatreia · idolatryG1495
- witchcraftφαρμακείαpharmakeia · sorceryG5331
- hatredἔχθραechthra · hostilityG2189
- varianceἔριςeris · quarrelG2054
- emulationsζῆλοςzēlos · zealG2205
- wrathθυμόςthumos · wrathG2372
- strifeἐριθείαeritheia · rivalryG2052
- seditionsδιχοστασίαdichostasia · dissensionG1370
- heresiesαἵρεσιςhairesis · sectG139
Cross-references for Galatians 5:20
- Ezekiel 22:18“Son of man, the people of Israel have become worthless to me. All of them are like copper, tin, iron, and lead in a smelting furnace. They are like the impurities left from silver.
- Deuteronomy 18:10You must never sacrifice your sons or daughters by burning them alive, practice black magic, be a fortuneteller, witch, or sorcerer,
- 1 Samuel 15:23The sin of black magic is rebellion. Wickedness and idolatry are arrogance. Because you rejected the Lord’s word, he rejects you as king.”
- 1 Chronicles 10:13So Saul died because of his unfaithfulness to the Lord: He did not obey the Lord’s word. He asked a medium to request information ⌞from a dead person⌟.
- 2 Chronicles 33:6He burned his son as a sacrifice in the valley of Ben Hinnom, consulted fortunetellers, cast evil spells, practiced witchcraft, and appointed ⌞royal⌟ mediums and psychics. He did many things that made the Lord furious.
- Acts 8:9A man named Simon lived in that city. He amazed the people of Samaria with his practice of magic. He claimed that he was great.
- Acts 16:16One day when we were going to the place of prayer, a female servant met us. She was possessed by an evil spirit that told fortunes. She made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.
- 2 Corinthians 11:19You’re wise, so you’ll gladly put up with fools.
- 2 Peter 2:1False prophets were among God’s people ⌞in the past⌟, as false teachers will be among you. They will secretly bring in their own destructive teachings. They will deny the Lord, who has bought them, and they will bring themselves swift destruction.
Commentaries on Galatians 5:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Idolatry - Worshipping of idols; frequenting idol festivals; all the rites of Bacchus, Venus, Priapus, etc., which were common among the Gentiles. Witchcraft - , from a drug or poison; because in all spells and enchantments, whether true or false, drugs were employed. As a drug, , might either be the means of removing an evil, or inflicting one, etymologists have derived it from , bringing ease, or , bringing pain. So spells and incantations were used…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Witchcraft - Pretending to witchcraft. The apostle does not vouch for the actual existence of witchcraft; but he says that what was known as such was a proof of the corrupt nature of man, and was one of the fruits of it. No one can doubt it. It was a system of imposture and falsehood throughout; and nothing is a better demonstration of the depravity of the human heart than an extended and systematized attempt to impose on mankind. The word which is used…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-26Verses 16-26 If it be our care to act under the guidance and power of the blessed Spirit, though we may not be freed from the stirrings and oppositions of the corrupt nature which remains in us, it shall not have dominion over us. Believers are engaged in a conflict, in which they earnestly desire that grace may obtain full and speedy victory. And those who desire thus to give themselves up to be led by the Holy Spirit, are not under the law as a covenant…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Idolatry (the worship of false gods) was common in Galatia and often included sorcery ("magic arts," see Acts 19:19; compare 1 Samuel 15:23; Revelation 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15). It also often included sexual immorality (compare 1 Corinthians 6:9, 15–20). Hatred causes people to fight with others, which is the opposite of the Holy Spirit's way of humility and love (Galatians 5:22–23). Discord means causing arguments and looking for fights, not peacefully…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2319-23. Confirming Ga 5:18, by showing the contrariety between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. manifest--The hidden fleshly principle betrays itself palpably by its works, so that these are not hard to discover, and leave no doubt that they come not from the Spirit. which are these--Greek, "such as," for instance. Adultery--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. lasciviousness--rather, "wantonness" petulance, capricious insolence; it may…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 5:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Galatians 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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