Bible Strands

Galatians 5:17

For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Paul to the Galatian churches, mid-contrast between flesh and Spirit (5:16–18), countering Judaizers who were pulling believers back under the law.

The words — ἐπιθυμεῖ (epithumei) is a strong, craving desire, not a mild wish; κατὰ (kata) here means "against," not its more common "according to," sharpening the opposition into active hostility.

The thread — The same flesh/Spirit opposition runs through Romans 8:5 and 8:13, where Paul ties each orientation to a distinct outcome (death vs. life); John 3:6 grounds the distinction in origin: flesh is born of flesh, spirit of Spirit.

Why it lands — The verse's final clause is the practical weight: the conflict is not theoretical but produces a specific, felt failure — you try and cannot do what you intend.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

ἡhēTheγὰρgarforσὰρξsarxfleshἐπιθυμεῖepithumeidesiresκατὰkataagainstτοῦtoutheπνεύματοςpneumatosSpiritτὸto<the>δὲdeandπνεῦμαpneumathe Spiritκατὰkataagainstτῆςtēstheσαρκός·sarkosflesh;ταῦταtautatheseγὰρgarforἀλλήλοιςallēloisto one anotherἀντίκειται,antikeitaiare opposedἵναinain orderμὴmēnotἃhathatἐὰνeanmaybeθέλητε,thelēteyou shall wishταῦταtautathose thingsποιῆτε.poiēteyou shall do.

King James Version

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.

Cross-references