Galatians 5:19 (DBY)

Passage

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness,

Nearby Context

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these things are opposed one to the other, that ye should not do those things which ye desire;

Galatians 5:18 but if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under law.

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness,

Galatians 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, disputes, schools of opinion,

Galatians 5:21 envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revels, and things like these; as to which I tell you beforehand, even as I also have said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit God's kingdom.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "works", "flesh", "manifest", "fornication", "uncleanness", and "licentiousness". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "works" and "flesh", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "but if ye are led by the..." into verse 20's "idolatry sorcery hatred strifes jealousies angers contentions...", so "works" and "flesh" belong inside that flow. In Galatians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "works" and "flesh" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.