Bible Strands
Galatians 5:19
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Galatian churches, having just declared in v. 18 that Spirit-led believers are not under the law; he now catalogs what the flesh actually produces as a contrast.
The words — φανερὰ (phanera), "evident," "manifest," is the operative adjective: Paul does not say these acts are possible or conceivable but that they are plain and recognizable.
The thread — The same cluster (sexual immorality, impurity) recurs in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and Colossians 3:5; Matthew 15:18 pushes the origin of such defilement inward to the heart rather than to external behavior.
Why it lands — The list functions as a diagnostic, not a threat: Paul expects the reader to recognize the pattern already at work and to be honest about where it appears.
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
King James Version
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,
- Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
- Matthew 15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.
- 1 Peter 4:2 Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God.
- Revelation 21:8 But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
- Ephesians 5:3 But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed.
- Galatians 6:8 The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3 for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
- Titus 3:3 For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
- Mark 7:21 For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,