Galatians 5:5 kjv
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Galatians 5:5 nkjv
For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Galatians 5:5 niv
For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
Galatians 5:5 esv
For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
Galatians 5:5 nlt
But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us.
Galatians 5 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gal 5:5 | For by the Spirit, through faith, we wait eagerly for the hope of righteousness. | Primary verse |
| Rom 8:25 | But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. | Perseverance in hope |
| 1 Cor 15:19 | If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. | Christian hope's foundation |
| Eph 1:13 | And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit | Spirit as seal and guarantee |
| Titus 2:13 | while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. | The blessed hope of Christ's return |
| Heb 10:36 | You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. | Enduring for the promise |
| 1 Pet 1:13 | Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revealing of Jesus Christ. | Alertness and hope in Christ's revealing |
| Col 1:5 | because of the hope laid up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true word of the gospel. | Heavenly hope |
| John 16:13 | But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. | Spirit as guide to truth and future |
| Rom 5:5 | and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. | Spirit assuring hope |
| Phil 3:9 | and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God on the basis of faith. | Righteousness through faith |
| Acts 15:9 | He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts by faith. | Faith purifying the heart |
| Eph 2:8 | For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— | Grace and faith as God's gift |
| Rom 8:23-25 | Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. | Hope for redemption and adoption |
| Gal 3:26-27 | For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. | Identity in Christ through faith |
| Gal 5:1 | It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be enslaved again by the yoke of a relapse. | Freedom and standing firm |
| Gal 3:11 | clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” | Justification by faith |
| 2 Tim 4:8 | now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. | Crown of righteousness, longing for His appearing |
| Rev 19:11 | I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. | Jesus as faithful and true, judging justly |
| Ps 130:5 | I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. | Waiting and hope in God's word |
| Jer 17:7 | But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. | Trust and confidence in the Lord |
| Rom 4:13-16 | For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham through law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. ... Therefore, the inheritance is based on faith, that it might be by grace and so that the promise might be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only those under the law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all... | Promise guaranteed through faith |
Galatians 5 verses
Galatians 5 5 Meaning
For by the Spirit, through faith, we wait eagerly for the hope of righteousness.
Galatians 5 5 Context
This verse appears in the context of Paul's strong assertion of justification by faith and the life lived in the Spirit, contrasting it with reliance on the Mosaic Law for righteousness. In Galatians 5:1, Paul exhorts believers to stand firm in the freedom Christ has granted them, warning against returning to bondage under the law. Following this, in verse 5, he clarifies the nature of the believer's present standing and future hope. The Galatian churches were being influenced by those advocating circumcision and adherence to the Law of Moses as necessary for salvation and spiritual maturity. Paul's entire argument in Galatians is to defend the doctrine of justification by faith alone, through Christ, and to refute legalism. This verse emphasizes that genuine righteousness and the hope of its ultimate fulfillment are attained and sustained not by external observance but by the internal work of the Holy Spirit, apprehended through faith.
Galatians 5 5 Word Analysis
- γάρ (gar): "for" - a conjunction indicating a reason or explanation for the preceding statement (Galatians 5:4).
- ἐν (en): "in" - a preposition often indicating a sphere of operation or a source. Here, it signifies the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit as the realm of operation.
- πνεύματι (pneumati): "Spirit" - dative case of πνεῦμα (pneuma). Refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.
- The Holy Spirit is the source and enabler of the Christian life.
- The Holy Spirit is what makes believers spiritually alive and capable of righteous living.
- ἐξ (ex): "by" or "from" - a preposition indicating origin or agency.
- πίσ τεως (pisteōs): "faith" - genitive case of πίστις (pistis). Refers to trust, reliance, and firm belief in God and in Jesus Christ.
- Faith is the human response that appropriates God's provision in Christ.
- It is the conduit through which God's power and promises are received.
- ἡμεῖς (hēmeis): "we" - emphatic personal pronoun. Refers to believers, specifically those in Christ, united in their spiritual experience.
- ἐκδεχόμεθα (ekdechometha): "wait eagerly," "expect," "look for" - first-person plural present indicative of ἐκδέχομαι (ekdechomai). This is an active and patient looking forward, characterized by hope and anticipation.
- Implies a confident expectation, not mere wishful thinking.
- It's a continuous process, not a one-time event.
- τὴν (tēn): "the" - definite article, feminine accusative singular.
- ἐλπίδα (elpida): "hope" - accusative case of ἐλπίς (elpis). Refers to the confident expectation of future good, particularly salvation and resurrection in glory.
- This hope is firmly rooted in God's promises and the finished work of Christ.
- τῆς (tēs): "of" - definite article, genitive feminine singular.
- δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosynēs): "righteousness" - genitive case of δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē).
- In Paul's theology, this can refer to:
- Positional Righteousness: The righteousness imputed to believers through faith in Christ at their conversion, accounting them just in God's sight (Rom 3:22-24; 2 Cor 5:21).
- Practical Righteousness: The righteous conduct and character that flows from faith and the indwelling Spirit, lived out daily (Gal 5:22-23).
- In this verse, it points to the future, consummated righteousness – the final vindication and glorification that believers anticipate, a result of Christ's righteousness now possessed.
- In Paul's theology, this can refer to:
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "by the Spirit": Highlights the agency and enabling power of the Holy Spirit in initiating and sustaining Christian life and hope.
- "through faith": Identifies faith as the means or channel by which believers connect with and access the power and promises of God in the Spirit.
- "we wait eagerly for the hope of righteousness": This phrase encapsulates the forward-looking, confident expectation of believers for the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises, culminating in final redemption and perfect righteousness, empowered by the Spirit and realized through ongoing faith.
Galatians 5 5 Bonus Section
The emphasis on "waiting eagerly" (ἐκδεχόμεθα) conveys a dynamic anticipation. It's not a passive, resigned waiting but an active, eager longing, often accompanied by perseverance, for what is promised. This is further illuminated by other New Testament passages that describe believers "groaning inwardly" as they await redemption (Rom 8:23). This paradox of present groaning and future eager expectation is central to the Christian experience, sustained by the Spirit's work within. The dual sense of "righteousness" – positional and practical – is crucial. We "wait eagerly" for the full manifestation of our positionally granted righteousness.
Galatians 5 5 Commentary
Verse 5 declares that true believers, through the ongoing indwelling and power of the Holy Spirit, confidently and patiently await their ultimate redemption and vindication. This expectation is rooted in the righteousness that God has imputed to them through faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit empowers this expectant waiting, ensuring that it is not a passive wish but an active anticipation fueled by the assurance of God's love and promises. The "hope of righteousness" encompasses the full consummation of salvation – resurrection, glorification, and final presentation perfect before God. It’s a hope anchored in Christ's finished work and guaranteed by the presence of the Spirit within. This stands in stark contrast to the legalistic pursuit of righteousness through human effort.