ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Galatians 5

Gal. 5:1–12 Those who turn to the law for salvation cut themselves off from salvation.

Gal. 5:5 we . . . wait for the hope of righteousness. Christians do not try to produce perfect righteousness in their lives by their own efforts. Instead, they wait for God to complete righteousness in them when they die (Heb. 12:23) or at Christ’s return (1 Cor. 15:49).

Gal. 5:11 If Paul still preached that people had to be circumcised, then the offense of the cross would be removed. Jesus’ work on the cross reminds people that their efforts to be right with God outside of Christ are useless.

Gal. 5:13–6:10 Life in the Spirit and Love. Freedom from the law does not lead to lawless behavior. By the power of the Spirit, believers live a new life characterized by love.

Gal. 5:13 freedom. From Mosaic laws, as represented by circumcision. Opportunity for the flesh means “opportunity to follow your fallen, sinful desires and act contrary to God’s moral laws.”

Gal. 5:16–26 Life under the law expresses itself in the works of the flesh, but those who live by the Spirit bear fruit pleasing to God.

Gal. 5:16 Having contrasted the flesh with love (vv. 13–14), Paul now contrasts the flesh with the Spirit. The only way to conquer the flesh is to yield to the Spirit. walk by the Spirit. Making decisions and choices according to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and acting with the spiritual power that the Spirit supplies. the desires of the flesh. Bodily cravings and the desires of fallen human nature (see examples in vv. 19–21).

Gal. 5:18 led by the Spirit. The Greek verb implies an active, personal involvement by the Holy Spirit in guiding Christians. The present tense (“if you are being led . . . ”) indicates the Spirit’s ongoing activity. you are not under the law. The Spirit’s active presence in believers’ lives shows that they are no longer under the pre-Christian system (see 3:2; 5; 14; 4:6).

Gal. 5:19 works of the flesh. Without the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, sinful humans follow wicked desires and actions.

Gal. 5:20 idolatry, sorcery. These are ways to access evil spiritual beings. They reject the way in which God says he should be worshiped (see John 14:6). enmity, strife. Rejecting God destroys human relationships, too.

Gal. 5:21 Drunkenness and orgies are examples of how people use God’s good gifts in destructive and sinful ways. In the OT, wine was associated with joy and celebration (e.g., Neh. 8:10; Ps. 104:15; see note on John 2:3). When abused, however, wine was seen as highly destructive (Prov. 20:1; 21:17; 23:29–35). Drunkenness is consistently condemned throughout Scripture (e.g., Eph. 5:18). Sex is a precious gift for husband and wife. When it is abused it also has highly destructive consequences (1 Cor. 6:18). those who do such things. Those who act in this way as a pattern of life. Their outward conduct indicates they are not born of God. They do not have the Holy Spirit within. They are not God’s true children.

Gal. 5:22–23 The Spirit defends against sin. He also produces in Christians the positive traits of godly character.

Gal. 5:24 Again, Christ and the Spirit (v. 25) come together in the believer’s life. Christians have crucified the flesh. They have died with Christ to sin (see 6:14; Rom. 6:4–6).

Gal. 5:25 keep in step with the Spirit. A different verb than in v. 16. It means “walk in line behind a leader.”

Gal. 5:26 Paul probably refers to attitudes that are causing problems in the Galatian churches (see v. 15). These also describe all who live according to the flesh (vv. 19–21).