Galatians 5:17
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's often missed here is that this isn't just about the flesh stopping you from doing good. It's that both the flesh and the Spirit are actively working to prevent you from fully doing what the other one wants. Each principle has a purpose: to thwart the desires of the opposing force.
Paul is directly addressing the conflict believers face between their sinful nature, referred to as "the flesh," and the new life empowered by the Holy Spirit. This internal struggle is the reason why living according to God's will can feel like a constant battle, preventing them from consistently doing what they know is right.
Ever feel like you're fighting yourself? Like there's a constant tug-of-war inside your own heart?
Paul is laying out a fundamental spiritual reality: there are two powerful, opposing forces at play within every believer.
The Flesh
This isn't just about physical desires. 'The flesh' in Paul's writing represents our entire human nature, apart from God's Spirit. It's our old self, influenced by sin, with desires that naturally pull us away from God's will.
The Spirit
On the other side, we have 'the Spirit,' which refers to the Holy Spirit living within us. This divine presence empowers us to live according to God's intentions and guides us toward truth and righteousness.
These two forces are in constant, direct opposition. They are 'contrary the one to the other,' meaning they are diametrically opposed. There's no middle ground, no blending them together. It’s a spiritual warfare happening inside you.
Why this constant battle? Is it meant to keep us stuck, or is there a deeper divine purpose?
The verse doesn't just describe the conflict; it reveals its purpose. Paul states that these opposing forces work 'to keep you from doing the things you want to do.'
Not a Failure, But a Feature
This doesn't mean you're failing as a Christian. Instead, it's the very nature of spiritual life in a fallen world. The purpose of this opposition is to prevent you from fully indulging in either extreme.
Preventing Full Capitulation
If you lean solely into the flesh, the Spirit’s opposition hinders you from completely fulfilling those sinful desires. Conversely, if you try to move purely in the Spirit, the flesh’s resistance prevents you from achieving perfect spiritual purity in this life.
This internal struggle serves to keep you dependent on God and aware of your need for His grace, preventing you from either fully succumbing to sin or becoming self-righteous in your own strength.
This passage vividly describes the internal struggle and the inability to do the good one wants, which is a direct parallel to the conflict Paul outlines between the flesh and the Spirit in Galatians.
Genesis 6:5This verse highlights the pervasive nature of human inclination toward evil ('every inclination of the thoughts of the heart was only evil all the time'), setting a foundational understanding for the 'flesh' that Paul later describes as being in opposition to the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 10:13While Galatians 5:17 describes the struggle, this verse offers the assurance that God provides a way of escape from temptation, showing that the conflict doesn't leave believers without hope or help.
Romans 8:5-8This passage further unpacks the concept of being 'fleshly minded' versus 'Spirit-minded,' directly contrasting the outcomes and desires of each, reinforcing the opposition Paul speaks of in Galatians.
Matthew 26:41Jesus' instruction to 'watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation' directly addresses the tension described in Galatians 5:17, urging vigilance against the flesh's desires and reliance on the Spirit.
cambridgeGalatians 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."
17, 18 . I say ‘fulfil’—for I well know that the spiritual life is, and must be, one of conflict—you must fight manfully under Christ’s banner and continue His faithful soldiers unto your life’s end. The flesh, ‘the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts’, is in deadly antagonism to the Spirit…
vincentGalatians 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."
Are contrary (ἀντίκειται)The verb means to lie opposite to; hence to oppose, withstand. The sentence these - to the other is not parenthetical.So that (ἵνα)Connect with these are contrary, etc. Ἵνα does not express result, but purpose, to the end that, - the purpose of the two contending desires. The inten…
What's often missed here is that this isn't just about the flesh stopping you from doing good. It's that both the flesh and the Spirit are actively working to prevent you from fully doing what the other one wants. Each principle has a purpose: to thwart the desires of the opposing force.
Paul is directly addressing the conflict believers face between their sinful nature, referred to as "the flesh," and the new life empowered by the Holy Spirit. This internal struggle is the reason why living according to God's will can feel like a constant battle, preventing them from consistently doing what they know is right.
Paul is directly addressing the conflict believers face between their sinful nature, referred to as "the flesh," and the new life empowered by the Holy Spirit. This internal struggle is the reason why living according to God's will can feel like a constant battle, preventing them from consistently doing what they know is right.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Galatians 5:17 is available in the Sola app.
"For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." — What's often missed here is that this isn't just about the flesh stopping you from doing good. It's that both the flesh and the Spirit are actively working to prevent you from fully doing what th…
