Bible Lesson 27
How should a Christian live?
Showing the Fruits of the Spirit
In the book of Galatians, Paul describes the kinds of “fruits” that characterize the life of an unbeliever: sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, divisions, envy, drunkenness.
(It is good to notice that while some of those are flagrant and obvious, so that a “good citizen” could say “I don’t do that,” many of these sins are hidden heart issues; no one can truly say, “I’m not like that.”)
But then Paul goes on to describe the “fruits” of a Christian life. Notice, they are not called the fruits of a Christian, but the fruits of the Spirit. We can’t do these things if the Holy Spirit isn’t in us. And if we are not growing in these things, it should serve as a warning: is the Holy Spirit truly in us?
Fruit Bowl, Pitcher and Fruit, by Paul Cezanne, 1894.
El fruto del Espíritu
Gálatas 5
(16) Digo, pues: Vivan según el Espíritu, y no satisfagan los deseos de la carne. (17) Porque el deseo de la carne se opone al Espíritu, y el del Espíritu se opone a la carne; y éstos se oponen entre sí para que ustedes no hagan lo que quisieran hacer.
(22) Pero el fruto del Espíritu es amor, gozo, paz, paciencia, benignidad, bondad, fe, (23) mansedumbre, templanza. Contra tales cosas no hay ley. (24) Y los que son de Cristo han crucificado la carne con sus pasiones y deseos.
(25) Si vivimos por el Espíritu, vivamos también según el Espíritu. (26) No nos hagamos vanidosos, ni nos irritemos unos a otros, ni sintamos envidia entre nosotros.
Traducción: RVC
The fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5
I say, then: Live according to the Spirit, and don’t satisfy the desires of the flesh. Because the desire of the flesh opposes the Spirit, and that of the Spirit opposes the flesh; and these oppose each other so that you will not do whatever you want to do.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self control [temperance]. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let’s live also according to the Spirit. Let’s not become vain, nor irritate each other, nor feel envy among ourselves.
1. Listen to the audio as you read along with the Spanish on the left.
2. Open the English translation, and read the two side-by-side, making sure you understand the Spanish.
3. Close the English, and listen to the audio again, reading along in Spanish.
4. Close the Spanish, and listen once more. Maybe shut your eyes, and just try to understand as much as you can.