The Meaning of Galatians 5:13 Explained

Galatians 5:13

KJV: For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

YLT: For ye -- to freedom ye were called, brethren, only not the freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through the love serve ye one another,

Darby: For ye have been called to liberty, brethren; only do not turn liberty into an opportunity to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

ASV: For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For,  brethren,  ye  have been called  unto  liberty;  only  [use] not  liberty  for  an occasion  to the flesh,  but  by  love  serve  one another. 

What does Galatians 5:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Galatians 5:13-26 - Produce The Fruit Of The Spirit
That Christ has freed us from the Law as a means of salvation does not free us from moral restraint, but brings us under the constraint of a higher law, the law of love. We do not keep this law to be saved; but, being saved, we keep it out of love toward Christ. The power of the new life is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Unite yourself with His life that you find rising up within you. Live in the Spirit. A child was much disappointed because when she took a cupful of water out of the blue lake, it did not look blue in the cup; so her teacher told her to throw the cup into the midst of the lake and leave it there. As we live and walk in the Spirit, we are safe.
The Holy Spirit brings influences to bear which act upon the germs of sin, as a disinfectant upon the germs of disease. If we yield ourselves to these influences, and are filled with the Spirit of Jesus, we shall be delivered from the self-life, which the Apostle describes as the flesh. As Jesus is more and more formed in us, the new flower and fruitage of the risen life will appear, while the corrupt works of the flesh will shrink and drop away, [source]

Chapter Summary: Galatians 5

1  He wills them to stand in their liberty,
3  and not to observe circumcision;
13  but rather love, which is the sum of the law
19  He lists the works of the flesh,
22  and the fruits of the Spirit,
25  and exhorts to walk in the Spirit

Greek Commentary for Galatians 5:13

Ye were called for freedom [επ ελευτεριαι εκλητητε]
The same point as in Galatians 5:1 made plainer by the use of επ — ep' (on the basis of, for the purpose of). See note on 1 Thessalonians 4:7 for this use of επι — epi [source]
Only use not [μονον μη]
No word for “use” in the Greek. Probably supply τρεπετε — trepete or στρεπετε — strephete “turn not your liberty into an occasion for the flesh” (εις απορμην τηι σαρκι — eis aphormēn tēi sarki), as a spring board for license. On απορμη — aphormē see note on 2 Corinthians 5:12. Liberty so easily turns to license. [source]
For [γὰρ]
Well may I speak thus strongly of those who thus overthrow your whole polity and enslave you, for ye are called for freedom. [source]
Unto liberty [ἐπ ' ἐλευθερίᾳ]
Better, for freedom. See on unto uncleanness, 1 Thessalonians 4:7. Ἑπὶ marks the intention. [source]
Only [μόνον]
For a similar use of the word, qualifying or limiting a general statement, comp. 1 Corinthians 7:39; Galatians 2:10; Philemon 1:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:7. [source]
Use not liberty [τὴν ἐλευθερίαν]
Use is not in the Greek. We may supply hold or make or turn. [source]
Occasion [ἀφορμὴν]
See on Romans 7:8. Almost exclusively in Paul. [source]
To the flesh [τῃ σαρκί]
See on Romans 7:5. The flesh here represents lovelessness and selfishness. Christian freedom is not to be abused for selfish ends. Paul treats this subject at length in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 1 Corinthians 12:25, 1 Corinthians 12:26. Individual liberty is subject to the law of love and mutual service. Comp. 1 Peter 2:16. [source]
By love [διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης]
Or through love, through which faith works (Galatians 5:6). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Galatians 5:13

Romans 7:8 Occasion [ἀφορμὴν]
Emphatic, expressing the relation of the law to sin. The law is not sin, but sin found occasion in the law. Used only by Paul. See 2 Corinthians 5:12; Galatians 5:13; 1 Timothy 5:14. The verb ἀφορμάω means to make a start from a place. Ἁφορμή is therefore primarily a starting-point, a base of operations. The Lacedaemonians agreed that Peloponnesus would be ἀφορμὴν ἱκανὴν agood base of operations (Thucydides, i., 90). Thus, the origin, cause, occasion, or pretext of a thing; the means with which one begins. Generally, resources, as means of war, capital in business. Here the law is represented as furnishing sin with the material or ground of assault, “the fulcrum for the energy of the evil principle.” Sin took the law as a base of operations. [source]
Romans 7:8 Finding occasion [απορμην λαβουσα]
See note on 2 Corinthians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 11:12; Galatians 5:13 for απορμην — aphormēn a starting place from which to rush into acts of sin, excuses for doing what they want to do. Just so drinking men use the prohibition laws as “occasions” for violating them. [source]
Galatians 5:22 Love [ἀγάπη]
Comp. love of the Spirit, Romans 15:30. In Class. φιλεῖν is the most general designation of love, denoting an inner inclination to persons or things, and standing opposed to μισεῖν or ἐχθαίρειν tohate. It occasionally acquires from the context a sensual flavor, as Hom. Od. xviii. 325; Hdt. iv. 176, thus running into the sense of ἐρᾶν which denotes sensual love. It is love to persons and things growing out of intercourse and amenities or attractive qualities. Στέργειν (not in N.T., lxx, Sirach 27:17) expresses a deep, quiet, appropriating, natural love, as distinguished from that which is called out by circumstances. Unlike φιλεῖν , it has a distinct moral significance, and is not applied to base inclinations opposed to a genuine manly nature. It is the word for love to parents, wife, children, king or country, as one's own. Aristotle (Nic. ix. 7,3) speaks of poets as loving ( στέργοντες ) their own poems as their children. See also Eurip. Med. 87. Ἁγαπᾶν is to love out of an intelligent estimate of the object of love. It answers to Lat. diligere, or Germ. schatzen to prize. It is not passionate and sensual as ἐρᾶν . It is not, like φιλεῖν , attachment to a person independently of his quality and created by close intercourse. It is less sentiment than consideration. While φιλεῖν contemplates the person, ἀγαπᾶν contemplates the attributes and character, and gives an account of its inclination. Ἁγαπᾶν is really the weaker expression for love, as that term is conventionally used. It is judicial rather than affectionate. Even in classical usage, however, the distinction between ἀγαπᾶν and φιλεῖν is often very subtle, and well-nigh impossible to express. In N.T. ἐπιθυμαῖν todesire or lust is used instead of ἐρᾶν . In lxx ἀγαπᾶν is far more common than φιλεῖν . Φιλεῖν occurs only 16 times in the sense of love, and 16 times in the sense of kiss; while ἀγαπᾶν is found nearly 300 times. It is used with a wide range, of the love of parent for child, of man for God, of God for man, of love to one's neighbor and to the stranger, of husband for wife, of love for God's house, and for mercy and truth; but also of the love of Samson for Delilah, of Hosea for his adulterous wife, of Amnon's love for Tamar, of Solomon's love for strange women, of loving a woman for her beauty. Also of loving vanity, unrighteousness, devouring words, cursing, death, silver. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The noun ἀγάπη , oClass., was apparently created by the lxx, although it is found there only 19 times. It first comes into habitual use in Christian writings. In N.T. it is, practically, the only noun for love, although compound nouns expressing peculiar phases of love, as brotherly love, love of money, love of children, etc., are formed with φίλος , as φιλαδελφία, φιλαργυρία, φιλανθρωπία . Both verbs, φιλεῖν and ἀγαπᾶν occur, but ἀγαπᾶν more frequently. The attempt to carry out consistently the classical distinction between these two must be abandoned. Both are used of the love of parents and children, of the love of God for Christ, of Christ for men, of God for men, of men for Christ and of men for men. The love of man for God and of husband for wife, only ἀγαπᾶν . The distinction is rather between ἀγαπᾶν and ἐπιθυμεῖν than between ἀγαπᾶν and φιλεῖν . Love, in this passage, is that fruit of the Spirit which dominates all the others. See Galatians 5:13, Galatians 5:14. Comp. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 1 John 2:5, 1 John 2:9-11; 1 John 3:11, 1 John 3:14-16; 1 John 4:7-11, 1 John 4:16-21; 1 John 5:1-3. [source]

Galatians 5:1  []
d In the liberty wherewith. This is according to the reading τῆ ἐλευθερίᾳ ᾗ . Different connections are proposed, as with stand fast, as A.V.: or with the close of chapter 4, as, “we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free with the freedom with which Christ freed us”: or, “of her who is free with the freedom with which,” etc. But ᾗ wherewithmust be omitted. A new clause begins with τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ . Rend. for freedom did Christ set us free. For, not with freedom. It is the dative of advantage; that we might be really free and remain free. Comp. Galatians 5:13, and John 8:36. [source]
Galatians 5:19 Manifest [πανερα]
Opposed to “hidden” Ancient writers were fond of lists of vices and virtues. Cf. Stalker‘s sermons on The Seven Cardinal Virtues and The Seven Deadly Sins. There are more than seven in this deadly list in Galatians 5:19-21. He makes the two lists in explanation of the conflict in Galatians 5:17 to emphasize the command in Galatians 5:13. There are four groups in Paul‘s list of manifest vices:(1)Sensual sins like fornication (πορνεια — porneia prostitution, harlotry), uncleanness (ακαταρσια — akatharsia moral impurity), lasciviousness (ασελγεια — aselgeia wantonness), sexual vice of all kinds prevailed in heathenism.(2)Idolatry (ειδωλατρεια — eidōlatreia worship of idols) and witchcraft (παρμακεια — pharmakeia from παρμακον — pharmakon a drug, the ministering of drugs), but the sorcerers monopolized the word for a while in their magical arts and used it in connection with idolatry. In N.T. only here and Revelation 18:23. See note on Acts 19:19 περιεργα — perierga curious arts. [source]
Philippians 2:1 Comfort of love [παραμύθιον]
Rev., consolation. Only here in the New Testament. From παρά besideand μῦθος speechor word. Παρὰ has the same force as in παράκλησις exhortation(see on Luke 6:24); a word which comes to the side of one to stimulate or comfort him; hence an exhortation, an encouragement. So Plato: “Let this, then, be our exhortation concerning marriage” (“Laws,” 773). A motive of persuasion or dissuasion. Plato, speaking of the fear of disgrace, or of ill-repute, says. “The obedient nature will readily yield to such incentives ” (“Laws,” 880). Also an assuagement or abatement. So Sophocles: “Offspring of the noble, ye are come as the assuagement of my woes” (“Electra,” 130). Plato: “They say that to the rich are many consolations ” (“Republic,” 329). Plato also calls certain fruits stimulants ( παραμυθία ) of a sated appetite (“Critias,” 115). Here in the sense of incentive. As related to exhortation, exhortation uses incentive as a ground of appeal. Christ exhorts, appealing to love. Compare Phlippians 1:9sqq. See Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:4; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 5:2; 1 John 4:16, etc. The two verbs kindred to exhortation and incentive occur together at 1 Thessalonians 2:11. See on 1 Corinthians 14:3. Render here, if any incentive of love. [source]
1 Thessalonians 4:7 Unto uncleanness [ἐπὶ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ]
Better, for uncleanness; ἐπὶ denoting aim or intention. The intention is viewed as the basis of the act ( ἐπὶ upon). Comp. Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 2:10. [source]
1 Timothy 6:2 Partakers of the benefit [οἱ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι]
The verb means to take hold of; hence, to take hold for the purpose of helping; to take up for, as Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35. oP. Ἑυεργεσία , benefit only here and Acts 4:9. Better, kindly service. Rend. they that busy themselves in the kindly service. The reference is to the kindly acts which the masters do to their slaves; not to the benefits received by the slaves. Comp. Galatians 5:13. [source]
1 Timothy 5:14 The younger widows [νεωτερας]
No article and no word for widows, though that is clearly the idea. Νεωτερας — Neōteras is accusative of general reference with γαμειν — gamein (to marry) the object (present infinitive active) of βουλομαι — boulomai Bear children (τεκνογονειν — teknogonein). A compound verb here only in N.T. and nowhere else save in Anthol. See τεκνογονια — teknogonia in 1 Timothy 2:15. Rule the household Late verb from οικοδεσποτης — oikodespotēs (Mark 14:14), twice in the papyri, only here in N.T. Note that the wife is here put as ruler of the household, proper recognition of her influence, “new and improved position” (Liddon). Occasion (απορμην — aphormēn). Old word (απο ορμη — apoτωι αντικειμενωι — hormē), a base to rush from, Pauline use in 2 Corinthians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 11:12; Galatians 5:13. To the adversary Dative case of the articular participle of λοιδοριας — antikeimai a Pauline idiom (Philemon 1:28). Reviling (λοιδορεω — loidorias). Old word (from χαριν — loidoreō), in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 3:9. Genitive case with charin f0). [source]
1 Timothy 5:14 Rule the household [οικοδεσποτειν]
Late verb from οικοδεσποτης — oikodespotēs (Mark 14:14), twice in the papyri, only here in N.T. Note that the wife is here put as ruler of the household, proper recognition of her influence, “new and improved position” (Liddon). Occasion (απορμην — aphormēn). Old word (απο ορμη — apoτωι αντικειμενωι — hormē), a base to rush from, Pauline use in 2 Corinthians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 11:12; Galatians 5:13. To the adversary Dative case of the articular participle of λοιδοριας — antikeimai a Pauline idiom (Philemon 1:28). Reviling (λοιδορεω — loidorias). Old word (from χαριν — loidoreō), in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 3:9. Genitive case with charin f0). [source]
1 Timothy 5:14 Occasion [απορμην]
Old word (απο ορμη — apoτωι αντικειμενωι — hormē), a base to rush from, Pauline use in 2 Corinthians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 11:12; Galatians 5:13. [source]
1 Peter 2:16 Cloke [ἐπικάλυμμα]
Only here in New Testament. Lit., a veil. The idea is that of using Christian freedom as a mask for ungodly license. Paul uses the kindred verb (Romans 4:7) of the covering of sins. On the sentiment, compare Galatians 5:13. [source]
2 Peter 2:19 Liberty [ελευτεριαν]
Promising “personal liberty,” that is license, after the fashion of advocates of liquor today, not the freedom of truth in Christ (John 8:32; Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:13). [source]
1 John 5:6 He that came [ο ελτων]
Second aorist active articular participle of ερχομαι — erchomai referring to the Incarnation as a definite historic event, the preexistent Son of God “sent from heaven to do God‘s will” (Brooke).By water and blood (δι υδατος και αιματος — di' hudatos kai haimatos). Accompanied by (δια — dia used with the genitive both as instrument and accompaniment, as in Galatians 5:13) water (as at the baptism) and blood (as on the Cross). These two incidents in the Incarnation are singled out because at the baptism Jesus was formally set apart to his Messianic work by the coming of the Holy Spirit upon him and by the Father‘s audible witness, and because at the Cross his work reached its culmination (“It is finished,” Jesus said). There are other theories that do not accord with the language and the facts. It is true that at the Cross both water and blood came out of the side of Jesus when pierced by the soldier, as John bore witness (John 19:34), a complete refutation of the Docetic denial of an actual human body for Jesus and of the Cerinthian distinction between Jesus and Christ. There is thus a threefold witness to the fact of the Incarnation, but he repeats the twofold witness before giving the third. The repetition of both preposition (εν — en this time rather than δια — dia) and the article (τωι — tōi locative case) argues for two separate events with particular emphasis on the blood (“not only” ουκ μονον — ouk monon “but” αλλ — all') which the Gnostics made light of or even denied.It is the Spirit that beareth witness Present active articular participle of μαρτυρεω — martureō with article with both subject and predicate, and so interchangeable as in 1 John 3:4. The Holy Spirit is the third and the chief witness at the baptism of Jesus and all through his ministry.Because (οτι — hoti). Or declarative “that.” Either makes sense. In John 15:26 Jesus spoke of “the Spirit of truth” (whose characteristic is truth). Here John identifies the Spirit with truth as Jesus said of himself (John 14:6) without denying personality for the Holy Spirit. [source]

What do the individual words in Galatians 5:13 mean?

You for to freedom were called brothers but not the freedom for an opportunity to the flesh Rather through - love serve one another
Ὑμεῖς γὰρ ἐπ’ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἐκλήθητε ἀδελφοί μόνον μὴ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν εἰς ἀφορμὴν τῇ σαρκί ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης δουλεύετε ἀλλήλοις

ἐλευθερίᾳ  freedom 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐλευθερία  
Sense: liberty to do or to omit things having no relationship to salvation.
ἐκλήθητε  were  called 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 2nd Person Plural
Root: καλέω  
Sense: to call.
ἀδελφοί  brothers 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
ἐλευθερίαν  freedom 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐλευθερία  
Sense: liberty to do or to omit things having no relationship to salvation.
ἀφορμὴν  an  opportunity 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀφορμή  
Sense: a place from which a movement or attack is made, a base of operations.
τῇ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σαρκί  flesh 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: σάρξ  
Sense: flesh (the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood) of both man and beasts.
ἀλλὰ  Rather 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἀλλά  
Sense: but.
διὰ  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
τῆς  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀγάπης  love 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἀγάπη  
Sense: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence.
δουλεύετε  serve 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: δουλεύω  
Sense: to be a slave, serve, do service.
ἀλλήλοις  one  another 
Parse: Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀλλήλων  
Sense: one another, reciprocally, mutually.