Galatians 5 · Verse 18

Galatians 5:18

But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Galatians 5:18, King James Version

Galatians 5:18 in other translations

BSBBut if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
WEBBut if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
ASVBut if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
YLTand if by the Spirit ye are led, ye are not under law.
DARBYbut if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under law.
BBEBut if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
WebsterBut if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

What does Galatians 5:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. "If ye are led (give yourselves up to be led) by (Greek) the Spirit, ye are not under the law." For ye are not working the works of the flesh (Ga 5:16, 19-21) which bring one "under the law" (Ro 8:2, 14). The "Spirit makes free from the law of sin and death" (Ga 5:23). The law is made for a fleshly man, and for the works of the flesh (1Ti 1:9), "not for a righteous man" (Ro 6:14, 15).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 18. But if ye be led of the Spirit. If you submit to the teachings and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Ye are not under the law. You are under a different dispensation--the dispensation of the Spirit. You are free from the restraints and control of the Mosaic law, and are under the control of the Spirit of God.

(f) "if ye be" Rom 6:14, 8:2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 But, if ye be led of the Spirit - If ye receive again the Gospel and the grace of Christ, and permit yourselves to be influenced by the Holy Spirit whom you are now grieving, ye are not under the law - ye will not feel those evil propensities which now disgrace and torment you; but they must prevail while you are not under the influence of the grace and Spirit of Christ.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 5:16-26

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…

Read the full comment on Galatians 5:16-26 →

Galatians 5:18 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἰeiIfG1487
δὲdehoweverG1161
πνεύματιpneumatiby [the] SpiritG4151
ἄγεσθε,agestheyou are led,G71
οὐκouknotG3756
ἐστὲesteyou areG1510
ὑπὸhupounderG5259
νόμον.nomon[the] Law.G3551

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 5:18

  • Romans 6:14-15

    For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

  • Romans 8:14

    For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

  • Proverbs 8:20

    I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

  • Galatians 5:25

    If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

  • Ezekiel 36:27

    And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

  • Galatians 4:5-6

    To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

  • Galatians 5:16

    This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

  • Romans 7:4

    Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

  • John 16:13

    Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

  • Isaiah 48:16-18

    Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me. Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

  • Psalms 25:8-9

    Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

  • Psalms 143:8-10

    Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
if.
16,25; 4:6; Ps 25:4,5,8,9; 143:8-10; Pr 8:20; Isa 48:16-18
Eze 36:27; Joh 16:13; Ro 8:12,14; 2Ti 1:7; 1Jo 2:20-27
ye are.
4:5; Ro 6:14,15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Galatians 5:17

    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.

  • Galatians 5:18

    But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

  • Galatians 5:19

    Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Read all of Galatians 5

Galatians 5:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas si sois guiados del Espíritu, no estáis bajo la ley.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mais si vous êtes conduits par l’Esprit, vous n’êtes pas sous la loi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wenn ihr aber durch den Geist geleitet werdet, so seid ihr nicht unter Gesetz.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quod si Spiritu ducimini, non estis sub lege.