Single lesson
The Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:16–26
Galatians 5:16–26 sets two opposite ways of life side by side. Students will trace the passage, notice the warning about harmful desires and behaviours, and carefully identify the fruit of the Spirit named in the text.
Before you teach
The passage begins with a command to walk by the Spirit and explains that the flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another. It then lists deeds of the flesh, names the fruit of the Spirit, and ends by calling people who live by the Spirit to walk by the Spirit without conceit, provoking or envy.
Students will be able to identify the contrast in Galatians 5:16–26, name the fruit of the Spirit from the passage, and explain from the text how walking by the Spirit differs from the deeds of the flesh.
Welcome: Notice the passage’s main contrast
6 minWrite two headings where everyone can see them: ‘flesh’ and ‘Spirit’. Explain that Galatians 5:16 introduces the contrast by commanding, ‘walk by the Spirit’, and Galatians 5:17 says the flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another. Tell students some items in the list are adult behaviours, so the class will observe the text carefully and focus on its clear contrast.
Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:17
Read and explain: What the passage warns against
9 minRead Galatians 5:16–21 aloud. Ask students to listen for repeated ideas. Explain that the passage speaks about the ‘lust of the flesh’, ‘deeds of the flesh’, and practising such things. Without dwelling on graphic items, note that the list includes harmful attitudes, broken relationships and adult sins, and the passage gives a serious warning about inheriting God’s Kingdom.
Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:19, Galatians 5:20, Galatians 5:21
Discuss the fruit: What the Spirit produces
9 minRead Galatians 5:22–23 slowly, inviting students to mark each quality. Point out that the passage uses the singular word ‘fruit’ and then names love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control. Observe the closing statement, ‘Against such things there is no law’, and ask what that adds to the description.
Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23
Make and respond: Fruit tree with text-based examples
11 minStudents make a simple fruit tree and add nine labelled fruit shapes. For each fruit named in Galatians 5:22–23, they write one ordinary example of what that quality might look like at school, home or sport. Remind them that these examples are applications, while the Bible wording itself is the list in the passage.
Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Galatians 5:25
Closing: Belonging to Christ and walking by the Spirit
5 minRead Galatians 5:24–26. Summarise with the passage’s own language: those who belong to Christ ‘have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts’, and those who live by the Spirit are to ‘also walk by the Spirit’. End by noticing the final warnings against conceit, provoking and envy.
Galatians 5:24, Galatians 5:25, Galatians 5:26
Questions to explore
In Galatians 5:16–17, what two things are set against each other?
Answer using the wording of the passage, which says the flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another and begins with the command to walk by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:17
Which words in Galatians 5:20–21 show damage in relationships between people?
Look through the list for terms such as hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions and envy, then connect them with the warning in Galatians 5:26.
Galatians 5:20, Galatians 5:21, Galatians 5:26
What qualities are named as the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23, and which one do you think is easiest to recognise in everyday life?
First list the qualities exactly from the verses, then give one careful everyday observation as your own application.
Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23
Make, think or respond
Fruit of the Spirit Tree
What you’ll need
- Plain paper or card
- Pens or textas
- Coloured paper
- Scissors
- Glue
Try it together
- Draw a tree trunk and branches on a page, or cut one from paper.
- Cut out nine fruit shapes.
- Write one fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22–23 on each fruit shape.
- Add each fruit to the tree and write one brief everyday example beside it.
- Read Galatians 5:25 together and use it as the lesson’s closing reminder.
This activity helps students remember the nine qualities named in Galatians 5:22–23 while linking them to the repeated call to walk by the Spirit in Galatians 5:16 and 5:25.
Adapt for your group
- For younger teens, provide the nine fruit words on the board and focus class discussion on the contrast between harmful behaviours and Spirit-shaped qualities without unpacking every item in Galatians 5:19–21.
- For older teens, add a comparison task where students sort exact words from Galatians 5:19–23 under ‘deeds of the flesh’ and ‘fruit of the Spirit’, then explain why Galatians 5:24–26 matters.
An optional closing prayer
You might pray: ‘Father, please help us walk by the Spirit. Help us turn from what this passage warns against and grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control. Amen.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Galatians 5
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,
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.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.
26 Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.