Galatians 5 · Verse 20

Galatians 5:20

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Galatians 5:20, King James Version

Galatians 5:20 in other translations

BSBidolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,
WEBidolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,
ASVidolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties,
YLTidolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strifes, emulations, wraths, rivalries, dissensions, sects,
DARBYidolatry, sorcery, hatred, strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, disputes, schools of opinion,
BBEWorship of images, use of strange powers, hates, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings,
WebsterIdolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

What does Galatians 5:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Galatians 5:19-23

19-23. Confirming Ga 5:18, by showing the contrariety between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. manifest--The hidden fleshly principle betrays itself palpably by its works, so that these are not hard to discover, and leave no doubt that they come not from the Spirit. which are these--Greek, "such as," for instance. Adultery--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. lasciviousness--rather, "wantonness"…

Read the full comment on Galatians 5:19-23 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. Witchcraft. Pretending to witchcraft. The apostle does not vouch for the actual existence of witchcraft; but he says that what was known as such was a proof of the corrupt nature of man, and was one of the fruits of it. No one can doubt it. It was a system of imposture and falsehood throughout; and nothing is a better demonstration of the depravity of the human heart than an extended and systematized attempt to impose on mankind. The word which is here used, (φαρμακεια, whence our word pharmacy, from φαρμακον a medicine, poison, magic potion,) means, properly, the preparing and giving of medicine. Then it means also poisoning, and also magic art, or enchantment; because in savage nations, pharmacy or medicine consisted much in magical incantations. Thence it means sorcery or enchantment, and it is so used uniformly in the New Testament. It is used only in Gal 5:20, Rev 9:21; Rev 18:23, 21:8. Some have supposed that it means here poisoning, a crime often practised; but the more correct interpretation is, to refer it to the black art, or to pretensions to witchcraft, and the numerous delusions which have grown out of it, as a striking illustration of the corrupt and depraved nature of man.

Hatred. Gr., hatreds--in the plural. Antipathies, and want of love, producing contentions and strifes.

Variance. Contentions. Rom 1:29.

Emulations, ζηλοι In a bad sense, meaning heart-burning, or jealousy, or perhaps inordinate ambition. The sense is, ardour or zeal in a bad cause, leading to strife, etc.

Wrath. This also is plural in the Greek, θυμοι, meaning passions, bursts of anger. 2Cor 12:20.

Strife. Also plural in the Greek. 2Cor 12:20.

Seditions. Rom 16:17.

Heresies. Acts 5:17; 1Cor 11:19

(*) "witchcraft" "sorcery" (+) "emulations" "rivalries" (++) "strife" "disputes" (**) "seditions" "factions" (|) "heresies" "sects"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Idolatry - Worshipping of idols; frequenting idol festivals; all the rites of Bacchus, Venus, Priapus, etc., which were common among the Gentiles. Witchcraft - Φαρμακεια, from φαρμακον a drug or poison; because in all spells and enchantments, whether true or false, drugs were employed. As a drug, φαρμακον, might either be the means of removing an evil, or inflicting one, etymologists have derived it from φερον ακος, bringing ease, or φερον αχος, bringing pain. So spells and incantations were used sometimes for the restoration of the health; at others, for the destruction of an enemy. Sometimes, these φαρμακα were used to procure love; at other times, to produce hatred. Hatred - Εχθραι· Aversions and antipathies, when opposed to brotherly love and kindness. Variance - Ερεις· Contentions, where the principle of hatred proceeds to open acts; hence contests, altercations, lawsuits, and disputes in general. Emulations - Ζηλοι· Envies or emulations; that is strife to excel at the expense of another; lowering others to set up one's self; unholy zeal, fervently adopting a bad cause, or supporting a good one by cruel means. Inquisitions, pretending to support true religion by torturing and burning alive those who both profess and practice it. Wrath - Θυμοι· Turbulent passions, disturbing the harmony of the mind, and producing domestic and civil broils and disquietudes. Strife - Επιθειαι· Disputations, janglings, logomachics, or strife about words. Seditions - Διχοστασιαι· Divisions into separate factions; parties, whether in the Church or state. Heresies - Αἱρεσεις· Factions; parties in the Church separating from communion with each other, and setting up altar against altar. The word, which is harmless in itself, is here used in a bad sense. In stead of αἱρεσεις the Slavonic has σκανδαλα, scandals, offenses or stumbling-blocks.

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…

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Galatians 5:20 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.

εἰδωλολατρία,eidōlolatriaidolatry,G1495
φαρμακεία,pharmakeiasorcery,G5331
ἔχθραι,echthraienmities,G2189
ἔρις,erisstrife,G2054
ζῆλος,zēlosjealousy,G2205
θυμοί,thumoioutbursts of anger,G2372
ἐριθεῖαι,eritheiaicontentions,G2052
διχοστασίαι,dichostasiaidissensions,G1370
αἱρέσεις,haireseisfactions,G139

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

Cross references for Galatians 5:20

  • Titus 3:10

    A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

  • Revelation 21:8

    But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

  • 1 Corinthians 11:19

    For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:19

    For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

  • Acts 8:9-11

    But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

  • 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

    So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

  • Deuteronomy 18:10

    There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

  • Acts 16:16-19

    And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

  • 2 Peter 2:1

    But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

  • Ezekiel 22:18

    Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.

  • 1 Samuel 15:23

    For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

  • 2 Chronicles 33:6

    And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
witchcraft.
Eze 22:18; De 18:10; 1Sa 15:23; 1Ch 10:13,14; 2Ch 33:6; Ac 8:9-11
Ac 16:16-19
heresies.
2Co 11:19; Tit 3:10; 2Pe 2:1

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

Context

  • Galatians 5:19

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

  • Galatians 5:20

    Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

  • Galatians 5:21

    Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Read all of Galatians 5

Galatians 5:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Idolatría, hechicerías, enemistades, pleitos, celos, iras, contiendas, disensiones, herejías,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
l’idolâtrie, la magie, les inimitiés, les querelles, les jalousies, les colères, les intrigues, les divisions, les sectes,
German
Elberfelder 1871
Götzendienst, Zauberei, Feindschaft, Hader, Eifersucht, Zorn, Zank, Zwietracht, Sekten,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
idolorum servitus, veneficia, inimicitiæ, contentiones, æmulationes, iræ, rixæ, dissensiones, sectæ,