Galatians 5:18 kjv
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Galatians 5:18 nkjv
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:18 niv
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:18 esv
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:18 nlt
But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
Galatians 5 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Galatians 5:18 | If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. | Assurance of freedom from law |
| Romans 8:14 | For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. | Spirit as indicator of sonship |
| Romans 6:14 | For sin shall not have dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. | Freedom from sin's dominion |
| John 8:36 | So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. | Christ's liberation |
| Romans 7:6 | But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. | Release from law's power |
| 2 Corinthians 3:6 | for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. | Contrast: letter vs. Spirit |
| Hebrews 7:19 | for the law made nothing perfect, but on the other hand it brought us to the point of hope, through which we draw near to God. | Law's imperfection |
| Acts 5:32 | And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. | Spirit given to the obedient |
| Galatians 3:24 | So the law was our guardian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. | Law as a temporary guardian |
| Romans 8:2 | For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. | Spirit's law vs. sin/death law |
| John 16:13 | When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth... | Spirit's guiding role |
| Romans 2:29 | But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. | Inner vs. outward observance |
| Philippians 3:3 | for we are the true circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh— | Worship in the Spirit |
| Galatians 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. | Lawlessness of Spirit's fruit |
| Romans 13:10 | Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. | Love fulfills the law |
| 1 Timothy 1:5 | The goal of our instruction is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. | Love as the goal |
| Acts 15:28-29 | For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden, than these necessary things: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality. | Spirit guides towards liberty |
| 1 Peter 1:14 | As obedient children, do not conform to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. | Living by Spirit, not past desires |
| John 14:26 | But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. | Spirit as teacher |
| 1 Corinthians 2:14 | The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them, because they are spiritual discerning. | Spirit's discernment |
| Colossians 2:14 | by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. | Law nailed to the cross |
| 2 Corinthians 3:17 | Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. | Freedom where the Spirit is |
Galatians 5 verses
Galatians 5 18 Meaning
If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. This verse from Galatians 5:18 asserts a direct correlation between being led by the Holy Spirit and being free from the Mosaic Law's condemnation and binding authority for believers. It highlights that the Spirit's guidance replaces the law as the principle of life.
Galatians 5 18 Context
Galatians 5:18 is situated within Paul's passionate defense of salvation by grace through faith in Christ, apart from works of the Law. The preceding verses discuss the contrast between the "desires of the flesh" and the "fruit of the Spirit." Paul is directly confronting those who insisted that Gentile believers must adhere to Mosaic Law for salvation and righteous living. This was a significant debate in the early church, with some Judaisers arguing for circumcision and adherence to all Levitical regulations. Paul’s argument is that the believer, by virtue of being indwelt and led by the Holy Spirit, operates under a new principle, not the Old Testament Law.
Galatians 5 18 Word Analysis
- If (Ean) - Conditional particle. Introduces a hypothetical or real condition.
- you (hymeis) - Second person plural pronoun. Refers to the collective body of believers being addressed.
- are being led (stoicheite) - Present passive indicative of stoicheō. Means "to walk in order," "to keep pace with," or "to be led." Implies a continuous, active guidance. It suggests conforming one's life and actions to a particular rule or example, in this case, the Spirit.
- by the Spirit (tou Pneumatos) - Genitive singular of Pneuma. Refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. "Of the Spirit" indicates the source and agent of the leading.
- you are not (ouK eiste) - Negation particle ou and the second person plural of eimi (to be). Asserting a state of non-being or non-relation.
- under (hupo) - Preposition often translated as "under" or "by." Here it indicates subjection, authority, or being subject to the power or control of something.
- the Law (tou Nomou) - Genitive singular of Nomos. Refers to the Mosaic Law, specifically its demands, ordinances, and binding authority as a system of external rules.
Words-group by words-group Analysis:
- "If you are being led by the Spirit": This phrase establishes a condition based on active, continuous divine guidance. It’s not about occasional spiritual prompts, but a lifestyle of following the Spirit’s direction. The Holy Spirit becomes the supreme guide for conduct and belief.
- "you are not under the Law": This clause presents the consequence or the status that results from being Spirit-led. "Under the law" implies being subject to its jurisdiction, its requirements, and its condemnation for failure to meet them. The believer is released from this specific authoritative relationship. This doesn't negate the moral teaching of the law, but its function as a system of justification or condemnation.
Galatians 5 18 Bonus Section
This verse is a cornerstone in understanding the relationship between grace and law in Christian theology. It emphasizes the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, positioning Him as the active agent of transformation and sanctification. The Spirit's leading cultivates an internal righteousness that far exceeds outward, ritualistic observance of the Law. It also points to the new covenant reality where God's law is written on the hearts of believers (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10), made possible through the indwelling Spirit. This leads to a willing, joyous obedience motivated by love rather than a fearful obligation driven by legalistic adherence. The emphasis is on internal disposition and empowered action guided by the Spirit, not external conformity.
Galatians 5 18 Commentary
Paul clearly states that the indwelling and active leading of the Holy Spirit exempts believers from the binding jurisdiction of the Mosaic Law as a covenant. The Law, in its function as a means of achieving righteousness or as a system of judgment for transgressions, is superseded by the Spirit's internal, transformative work. Being led by the Spirit means living according to the Spirit’s prompting, which results in a life characterized by love, obedience, and fruitfulness that naturally aligns with God’s will, rendering external legalistic adherence unnecessary for salvation or righteousness.
- Practical application: Instead of trying to keep a list of rules to please God, a believer seeks the Holy Spirit's guidance daily. When facing a decision, rather than consulting legalistic interpretations, one prays for the Spirit's wisdom. The Spirit empowers one to live righteously, producing "fruit" (Galatians 5:22-23) rather than merely observing rituals.