Galatians 5:20 (GNV)

Passage

Idolatrie, witchcraft, hatred, debate, emulations, wrath, contentions, seditions, heresies,

Nearby Context

Galatians 5:18 And if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not vnder the Lawe.

Galatians 5:19 Moreouer the workes of the flesh are manifest, which are adulterie, fornication, vncleannes, wantonnes,

Galatians 5:20 Idolatrie, witchcraft, hatred, debate, emulations, wrath, contentions, seditions, heresies,

Galatians 5:21 Enuie, murthers, drunkennesse, gluttonie, and such like, whereof I tell you before, as I also haue tolde you before, that they which doe such things, shall not inherite the kingdome of God.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruite of the Spirit is loue, ioye, peace, long suffering, gentlenes, goodnes, fayth,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "idolatrie", "witchcraft", "hatred", "debate", "emulations", "wrath", "contentions", and "seditions". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "idolatrie" and "witchcraft", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Moreouer the workes of the flesh are..." into verse 21's "Enuie murthers drunkennesse gluttonie and such like...", so "idolatrie" and "witchcraft" 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 "idolatrie" and "witchcraft" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.