Galatians 5:20-21 Commentary: The Flesh's Deeds and the Kingdom's Warning

Paul writes Galatians to churches in central Asia Minor that were being pressured by Judaizers to adopt circumcision and other Mosaic laws. The passage is part of a larger ethical argument: having been set free in Christ, believers must not use that freedom as an opportunity for the flesh (5:13). The list of 'works of the flesh' is not unique to Galatians; similar catalogues appear in Romans 1:29-31, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and Colossians 3:5-8. These catalogues reflect the Greco-Roman world’s vices, many of which would have been familiar to the Galatians from their pre‑Christian past.

Idolatry and sorcery were deeply woven into pagan religious practice. Sorcery often involved magic potions (pharmakeia), incantations, and rites devoted to deities like Bacchus (Clarke). The relational sins, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, factions, may point to internal conflicts in the Galatian churches, which Paul had already rebuked earlier in the chapter (v.15: 'if you bite and devour one another'). The words 'heresies' (αἱρέσεις) and 'divisions' (διχοστασίαι) suggest organized parties that fracture unity (Cambridge Bible).

The warning 'I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you' indicates that Paul had already delivered this teaching when he first visited them. The phrase 'inherit the kingdom of God' recalls Jesus' own usage (Matthew 25:34) and ties the inheritance to divine sonship. Calvin notes that κληρονομεῖν means to possess by hereditary right, a right that comes only through adoption. Therefore the list functions as a diagnostic: it identifies patterns of behavior that contradict a life led by the Spirit, and invites self‑examination and repentance.

The only notable textual variant in these verses concerns the word 'murders' (φόνοι). Vincent's Word Studies and the Cambridge Bible note that it is omitted in some important manuscripts (e.g., P⁴⁶, Sinaiticus) and may have been added later from Romans 1:29. The UBS text includes it in brackets. Modern translations are divided: the WEB and BSB include it; the RSV and NIV place it in a footnote. The meaning of the passage is not substantially affected, since murder is clearly a work of the flesh regardless of its inclusion here. The other items in the list are textually secure.

Throughout church history, Galatians 5:20-21 has served as a standard moral inventory. Early Christian catechetical lists of vices drew on this passage, and it was used in baptismal preparation to renounce the works of the devil. Augustine referenced it in his debates over heresy and schism, noting that divisions and factions (heresies) are works of the flesh. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin both appealed to the passage to argue that neither legalistic observance nor license can inherit the kingdom, only life in the Spirit. The phrase 'inherit the kingdom of God' became central in discussions about assurance and perseverance. More recently, the inclusion of 'sorcery' has prompted teaching on occult practices, while the whole list remains a staple for Lenten reflection and personal examination.

Three-point outline

1. The Obvious Works of the Flesh (vv.19-21a), Paul catalogs 15+ specific deeds, from idolatry to orgies, showing the range and visibility of fallen behavior.
2. The Present Warning (v.21b), 'I forewarn you, as I also forewarned you' gives urgency and repeats an earlier message; Paul is not introducing a new threat but reinforcing a known one.
3. The Eternal Consequence (v.21c), 'Those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom' is a sobering sentence, but the present participle 'practicing' points to a pattern, not occasional stumbles.

Five-point outline

1. Religious Corruption: Idolatry and sorcery (pharmakeia), false worship and occult involvement.
2. Relational Breakdowns: Hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, sins that destroy community.
3. Division and Faction: Rivalries, divisions, heresies, organized group conflict.
4. Sensual Excess: Drunkenness, orgies, loss of self‑control.
5. The Inclusive Clause: 'And things like these', Paul does not try to name every evil; the principle covers any fleshly deed.

Illustration hooks

• A church member who regularly uses astrology apps and reads horoscopes but dismisses it as harmless fun, this connects directly to pharmakeia.
• Workplace gossip that escalates into full‑blown faction and division (strife, rivalries).
• A Christian who struggles with anger and occasional drunkenness wonders if they have crossed the line and lost their salvation.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Does Paul mean that if I ever commit one of these sins, I am not saved?
• How do I know if something is 'sorcery' or just a harmless cultural practice?
• What should I do if I see these patterns in my own life, is there hope for change?

This passage draws a serious line between living by the Spirit and living by the flesh. Paul’s list is not meant to produce anxiety but honest self‑examination and a return to grace. The warning is real, but so is the promise of forgiveness and transformation for those who repent.

Discussion questions

1. Read Galatians 5:16-23. How does Paul contrast the 'works of the flesh' with the 'fruit of the Spirit'?
2. Why do you think Paul puts idolatry and sorcery first in the list? What does that suggest about his concern?
3. Some of the sins in this list are internal attitudes (jealousy, envy). Why would Paul include them as 'works'?
4. What does the phrase 'practice such things' (present tense) tell us about the kind of behavior Paul is warning against?
5. How would you explain the meaning of 'sorcery' (pharmakeia) to a friend who dabbles in zodiac signs or new age rituals?
6. Does the warning 'will not inherit the kingdom of God' conflict with the doctrine of grace? How do you reconcile them?
7. What is one step you can take this week to 'walk by the Spirit' instead of yielding to a recurring fleshly pattern?