idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Galatians 5:20
What does Galatians 5:20 mean?
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Galatians 5:20
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While we might rush past this list to the more dramatic sins, notice how it moves from outward religious rebellion (idolatry, sorcery) to deep relational fractures. Paul highlights that things like "rivalries, dissensions, and divisions" aren't just minor disagreements but organized, party-forming acts against the unity of God's people. This shows that "works of the flesh" aren't just personal failings but systemic disruptions that tear apart communities.
idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is detailing the "works of the flesh"—actions that stem from our fallen nature—contrasting them with the "fruit of the Spirit" that he'll discuss next. This list exposes the destructive patterns that oppose God's kingdom, moving from outright rebellion against God to interpersonal conflicts that fracture community. These are the very things Paul warned the Galatians about earlier, reminding them that those who practice such things will not inherit God's kingdom.
Paul lists 'idolatry' and 'sorcery' first. Why these specific sins, and what do they reveal about the enemy's tactics?
Paul opens this intense list of the 'works of the flesh' with two actions that are deeply spiritual, not just behavioral.
Idolatry: Shifting Devotion
Sorcery: Seeking Power Elsewhere
Together, these two sins highlight that the 'works of the flesh' aren't just random bad habits; they often stem from a fundamental misdirection of worship and a dangerous pursuit of power outside of God's loving provision.
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After the spiritual sins, Paul lists a series of actions that tear apart relationships. How do these 'works' fracture communities?
The second half of this verse details the devastating impact of the flesh on our interactions with others.
The Breakdown of Love
Paul moves from the foundational sins of idolatry and sorcery to sins that directly attack love for neighbor:
The Flesh's Goal: Brokenness
These aren't isolated incidents but a pattern. The 'flesh' thrives on creating division, fostering resentment, and destroying the bonds of community that God intends. It's the opposite of the unity and love that Christ calls us to. Notice how Paul distinguishes between the general outward expression ('divisions') and more organized, ideological splits ('heresies,' which implies forming distinct parties or schools of thought, often based on flawed doctrine).
Understand the original words
eidōlolatreia · Greek Noun
The worship of created things or images instead of the Creator; anything that takes the place of God as the ultimate object of trust or devotion.
pharmakeia · Greek Noun
Literally 'pharmakeia' (use of drugs); in biblical context, it refers to witchcraft, occult practices, or the use of charms and spells to manipulate spiritual or natural reality.
echthra · Greek Noun
Hostility or deep-seated hatred; being an enemy of someone, which is the opposite of the commanded love for one's neighbor.
eris · Greek Noun
Conflict, contention, or arguing; a spirit of self-assertion that leads to interpersonal friction and disorder.
zēlos · Greek Noun
The painful awareness of another's advantage or possession, often coupled with a desire to take it away or to see the other person deprived.
thymos · Greek Noun
Sudden outbursts of temper or explosive rage; the lack of emotional self-control.
eritheia · Greek Noun
Selfish ambition; the pursuit of one's own agenda or advancement through manipulation or partisan interest.
dichostasia · Greek Noun
The act of causing factions, discord, or schisms within the body of believers; promoting unauthorized separate groups.
hairesis · Greek Noun
Parties, sects, or factions; creating divisive cliques within the church that destroy unity.
The list of 'works of the flesh' in Galatians reflects the very real struggles Paul encountered in the early church, from pagan idolatry and sorcery in cities like Ephesus to the internal conflicts and factions that plagued Christian communities in places like Corinth and Rome.
c. 50 AD— this verse
Paul's Ministry in Ephesus
During his time in Ephesus, a major center for pagan worship and occult practices, Paul encountered and confronted witchcraft and idolatry. Many in the city practiced 'curious arts' and burned their books of magic, reflecting the strong presence of these 'works of the flesh'.
c. 49-52 AD
Council of Jerusalem
This council addressed significant divisions within the early church regarding the inclusion of Gentiles and the necessity of circumcision. It highlights the reality of 'strife, dissensions, and divisions' that arose even among believers.
c. 53-56 AD
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
In Corinth, a city known for its immorality and factions, Paul dealt with ongoing issues of 'enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, and divisions' within the church, as documented in his first letter to the Corinthians.
c. 56 AD
Paul writes 2 Corinthians
In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses the deep divisions and false teachings that had taken root, referring to 'rivalries, fits of anger, selfish ambition, insolent speech, and even disturbances.'
c. 60-62 AD
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
While under house arrest in Rome, Paul wrote letters to churches like Philippi and Colossae, continuing to warn against the dangers of divisiveness, pride, and the influence of worldly desires that mirrored the 'works of the flesh'.
This passage directly parallels Galatians 5:20 by listing 'sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness' as works of the flesh, highlighting the common theme of sinful desires and actions stemming from our old nature.
Ephesians 5:5Similar to Galatians 5:20, Ephesians 5:5 explicitly states that 'no sexually immoral or impure or covetous person, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God,' underscoring the severe consequences of these fleshly sins.
Romans 1:29-31This passage provides a comprehensive list of sins that mirrors the nature of those in Galatians 5:20, including 'enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, slander, gossip,' illustrating the pervasive reach of fleshly desires.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10This text warns that 'the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God,' and lists several offenses, such as 'idolaters, … sorcerers, … quarrels, jealousy, anger, ... strife, division,' directly aligning with the transgressions mentioned in Galatians 5:20.
Revelation 21:8This verse concludes the catalog of those whose fate is the 'second death,' explicitly naming 'the faithless, the detestable, murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars,' which directly corresponds to many of the fleshly works listed in Galatians 5:20.
cambridgeGalatians 5:20: "Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,"
20, 21 . The second class of sins are those which concern religion—idolatry and sorcery, or witchcraft. The word ‘idolatry’ is probably to be understood here in its literal sense, the worship of false deities, and not in the metaphorical and wider sense in which it is employed by St Paul, e.g. Ephesians 5:5 , a passage which is, however, strikingly parallel to this. Comp. Colossians 3:5 ; 1…
vincentGalatians 5:20: "Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,"
Witchcraft (φαρμακία)Or sorcery. Elsewhere only Revelation 18:23. From φάρμακον a drug. In lxx, see Exodus 7:11; Wisd. 12:4; Isaiah 47:9. Comp. Acts 19:19, περίεργα curious arts, note.Wrath (θυμοί)Lit. wraths. See on John 3:36.Strife (ἐριθίαι)More correctly, factions. From ἔριθος a hired servant. Ἑριθία is, primarily, labor for hire (see Tob. 2:11), and is applied to those who ser…
While we might rush past this list to the more dramatic sins, notice how it moves from outward religious rebellion (idolatry, sorcery) to deep relational fractures. Paul highlights that things like "rivalries, dissensions, and divisions" aren't just minor disagreements but organized, party-forming acts against the unity of God's people. This shows that "works of the flesh" aren't just personal failings but systemic disruptions that tear apart communities.
Paul is detailing the "works of the flesh"—actions that stem from our fallen nature—contrasting them with the "fruit of the Spirit" that he'll discuss next. This list exposes the destructive patterns that oppose God's kingdom, moving from outright rebellion against God to interpersonal conflicts that fracture community. These are the very things Paul warned the Galatians about earlier, reminding them that those who practice such things will not inherit God's kingdom.
Paul is detailing the "works of the flesh"—actions that stem from our fallen nature—contrasting them with the "fruit of the Spirit" that he'll discuss next. This list exposes the destructive patterns that oppose God's kingdom, moving from outright rebellion against God to interpersonal conflicts that fracture community. These are the very things Paul warned the Galatians about earlier, reminding them that those who practice such things will not inherit God's kingdom.
"idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions," — While we might rush past this list to the more dramatic sins, notice how it moves from outward religious rebellion (idolatry, sorcery) to deep relational fractures. Paul highlights that things like "…
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Last reviewed October 2026