Gal 5:16-26 | Geneva | STEP | {15} [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (15) He acknowledges the great weakness of the godly, because they are but in part regenerated: but he exhorts them to remember that they are endued with the Spirit of God, who has delivered them from the slavery of sin, and so from the Law, inasmuch as it is the power of sin, so that they should not give themselves to lusts.

Galatians 5:16-26

{15} [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

(15) He acknowledges the great weakness of the godly, because they are but in part regenerated: but he exhorts them to remember that they are endued with the Spirit of God, who has delivered them from the slavery of sin, and so from the Law, inasmuch as it is the power of sin, so that they should not give themselves to lusts. For the {i} 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.

(i) For the flesh dwells even in the regenerated man, but the Spirit reigns, even though not without great strife, as is largely set forth in Ro 7:1-25. {16} Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

(16) He sets out that particularly of which he spoke generally, reckoning up some principal effects of the flesh, and opposing them to the fruits of the Spirit, that no man may pretend ignorance. But the {k} fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

(k) Therefore they are not the fruits of free will, but only as far forth as our will is made free by grace. Meekness, temperance: {17} against such there is no law.

(17) Lest that any man should object that Paul plays the deceiver, as one who urging the Spirit urges nothing but that which the Law commands, he shows that he requires not that literal and outward obedience, but spiritual, which proceeds not from the Law but from the Spirit of Christ, who gives us new birth, and must and ought to be the ruler and guider of our life. If we {l} live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

(l) If we are indeed endued with the quickening Spirit, who causes us to die to sin, and live to God, let us show it in our deeds, that is, by holiness of life. {18} Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

(18) He adds special exhortations according as he knew the Galatians to be subject to different vices: and first of all he warns them to take heed of ambition, which vice has two fellows, backbiting and envy. And out of these two many contentions necessarily arise.