19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,(A) impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.(B) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.(C)

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19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: (A)sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, (B)witchcraft, hostilities, (C)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, (D)selfish ambition, dissensions, (E)factions, 21 envy, (F)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not (G)inherit the kingdom of God.

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19 Now the practices of the [a]sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), 20 [b]idolatry, [c]sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], 21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:19 Lit flesh.
  2. Galatians 5:20 Including prostitution, which was often part of pagan ritual.
  3. Galatians 5:20 Including such things as occult practices, witchcraft, worship of evil powers, drug-induced trances.

19-21 It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.

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