Galatians 5:20 (WEB)

Passage

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

Nearby Context

Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,

Galatians 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

Galatians 5:21 envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "idolatry", "sorcery", "hatred", "strife", "jealousies", "outbursts", "anger", and "rivalries". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "idolatry" and "sorcery", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Now the deeds of the flesh are..." into verse 21's "envy murders drunkenness orgies and things like...", so "idolatry" and "sorcery" 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 "idolatry" and "sorcery" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.