Galatians 5:17

Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

for the flesh doth desire contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit contrary to the flesh, and these are opposed one to another, that the things that ye may will -- these ye may not do;

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἡ γὰρ σὰρξ ἐπιθυμεῖ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα κατὰ τῆς σαρκός: ταῦτα δὲ ἀντίκειται ἀλλήλοις: ἵνα μὴ ἃ ἂν θέλητε ταῦτα ποιῆτε.

Transliteration

For the sarx epithymei kata tou Pneumatos, and the Pneuma kata tēs sarkos: and these antikeitai allēlois: so that mē ha an thelēte tauta poiēte.

Grammar Details

• *sarx*: nominative, feminine, singular - flesh/body
• *epithymei*: present, active, indicative, 3rd person singular - desires/longs for/lusts after
• *kata*: preposition with genitive - against
• *tou Pneumatos*: genitive, neuter, singular - of the Spirit
• *to de Pneuma*: nominative, neuter, singular - and the Spirit
• *tēs sarkos*: genitive, feminine, singular - of the flesh
• *tauta*: accusative, neuter, plural demonstrative pronoun - these things
• *de*: postpositive conjunction - but/and
• *antikeitai*: present, middle, indicative, 3rd person singular - are opposed to/set against
• *allēlois*: dative, neuter, plural - one another/each other
• *hina*: conjunction - so that/in order that
• *mē*: negative particle - not
• *ha*: accusative, neuter, plural relative pronoun - which things
• *an*: conditional particle - ever/would
• *thelēte*: present, active, subjunctive, 2nd person plural - you might wish/want/desire
• *poiēte*: present, active, subjunctive, 2nd person plural - you might do/perform

Word Meanings

• *sarx*: flesh/body/human nature
• *epithymei*: desires/longs for/lusts after/craves
• *kata*: against/in opposition to
• *Pneumatos*: Spirit/spirit/breath
• *antikeitai*: are opposed to/set against/are contrary to
• *allēlois*: one another/each other/mutually
• *thelēte*: you might wish/want/desire/will
• *poiēte*: you might do/perform/practice

Referenced Verses

• Rom 8:5-8 : 5 For those who are according to the flesh, the things of the flesh do mind; and those according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit; 6 for the mind of the flesh `is' death, and the mind of the Spirit -- life and peace; 7 because the mind of the flesh `is' enmity to God, for to the law of God it doth not subject itself, 8 for neither is it able; and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God.
• Rom 8:13 : 13 for if according to the flesh ye do live, ye are about to die; and if, by the Spirit, the deeds of the body ye put to death, ye shall live;
• John 3:6 : 6 that which hath been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which hath been born of the Spirit is spirit.
• Rom 7:7-8 : 7 What, then, shall we say? the law `is' sin? let it not be! but the sin I did not know except through law, for also the covetousness I had not known if the law had not said: 8 `Thou shalt not covet;' and the sin having received an opportunity, through the command, did work in me all covetousness -- for apart from law sin is dead.
• Jas 4:5-6 : 5 Do ye think that emptily the Writing saith, `To envy earnestly desireth the spirit that did dwell in us,' 6 and greater grace he doth give, wherefore he saith, `God against proud ones doth set Himself up, and to lowly ones He doth give grace?'
• Eccl 7:20 : 20 Because there is not a righteous man on earth that doth good and sinneth not.
• Ps 119:20 : 20 Broken hath my soul for desire Unto Thy judgments at all times.
• Ps 19:12-13 : 12 Errors! who doth understand? From hidden ones declare me innocent, 13 Also -- from presumptuous ones keep back Thy servant, Let them not rule over me, Then am I perfect, And declared innocent of much transgression,
• Ps 51:10-12 : 10 A clean heart prepare for me, O God, And a right spirit renew within me. 11 Cast me not forth from Thy presence, And Thy Holy Spirit take not from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And a willing spirit doth sustain me.
• Ps 65:3 : 3 Matters of iniquities were mightier than I, Our transgressions -- Thou dost cover them.
• Ps 119:4-6 : 4 Thou hast commanded us Thy precepts to keep diligently, 5 O that my ways were prepared to keep Thy statutes, 6 Then I am not ashamed In my looking unto all Thy commands.
• Ps 51:1-5 : 1 To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David, in the coming inn unto him of Nathan the prophet, when he hath gone in unto Bath-Sheba. Favour me, O God, according to Thy kindness, According to the abundance of Thy mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Thoroughly wash me from mine iniquity, And from my sin cleanse me, 3 For my transgressions I do know, And my sin `is' before me continually. 4 Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, And done the evil thing in Thine eyes, So that Thou art righteous in Thy words, Thou art pure in Thy judging. 5 Lo, in iniquity I have been brought forth, And in sin doth my mother conceive me.
• Matt 12:30 : 30 `He who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me, doth scatter.
• Matt 16:17 : 17 And Jesus answering said to him, `Happy art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood did not reveal `it' to thee, but my Father who is in the heavens.
• Matt 16:23 : 23 and he having turned, said to Peter, `Get thee behind me, adversary! thou art a stumbling-block to me, for thou dost not mind the things of God, but the things of men.'
• Matt 26:41 : 41 watch, and pray, that ye may not enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is forward, but the flesh weak.'
• Ps 119:24-25 : 24 Thy testimonies also `are' my delight, The men of my counsel! 25 `Daleth.' Cleaved to the dust hath my soul, Quicken me according to Thy word.
• Ps 119:32 : 32 The way of Thy commands I run, For Thou dost enlarge my heart!
• Ps 119:35 : 35 Cause me to tread in the path of Thy commands, For in it I have delighted.
• Ps 119:40 : 40 Lo, I have longed for Thy precepts, In Thy righteousness quicken Thou me,
• Ps 119:133 : 133 My steps establish by Thy saying, And any iniquity doth not rule over me.
• Ps 119:159 : 159 See, for thy precepts I have loved, Jehovah, According to Thy kindness quicken me.
• Ps 119:176 : 176 I wandered as a lost sheep, seek Thy servant, For Thy precepts I have not forgotten!
• Ps 130:3 : 3 If iniquities Thou dost observe, O Lord, who doth stand?
• Luke 22:46 : 46 and he said to them, `Why do ye sleep? having risen, pray that ye may not enter into temptation.'
• Luke 22:54-61 : 54 And having taken him, they led and brought him to the house of the chief priest. And Peter was following afar off, 55 and they having kindled a fire in the midst of the court, and having sat down together, Peter was sitting in the midst of them, 56 and a certain maid having seen him sitting at the light, and having earnestly looked at him, she said, `And this one was with him!' 57 and he disowned him, saying, `Woman, I have not known him.' 58 And after a little, another having seen him, said, `And thou art of them!' and Peter said, `Man, I am not.' 59 And one hour, as it were, having intervened, a certain other was confidently affirming, saying, `Of a truth this one also was with him, for he is also a Galilean;' 60 and Peter said, `Man, I have not known what thou sayest;' and presently, while he is speaking, a cock crew. 61 And the Lord having turned did look on Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him -- `Before a cock shall crow, thou mayest disown me thrice;'
• Gal 3:21 : 21 the law, then, `is' against the promises of God? -- let it not be! for if a law was given that was able to make alive, truly by law there would have been the righteousness,
• Phil 3:12-16 : 12 Not that I did already obtain, or have been already perfected; but I pursue, if also I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by the Christ Jesus; 13 brethren, I do not reckon myself to have laid hold; and one thing -- the things behind indeed forgetting, and to the things before stretching forth -- 14 to the mark I pursue for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 As many, therefore, as `are' perfect -- let us think this, and if `in' anything ye think otherwise, this also shall God reveal to you, 16 but to what we have come -- by the same rule walk, the same thing think;
• Jas 3:2 : 2 for we all make many stumbles; if any one in word doth not stumble, this one `is' a perfect man, able to bridle also the whole body;
• 1 John 1:8-9 : 8 if we may say -- `we have not sin,' ourselves we lead astray, and the truth is not in us; 9 if we may confess our sins, stedfast He is and righteous that He may forgive us the sins, and may cleanse us from every unrighteousness; 10 if we may say -- `we have not sinned,' a liar we make Him, and His word is not in us.
• Rom 7:10-25 : 10 and the command that `is' for life, this was found by me for death; 11 for the sin, having received an opportunity, through the command, did deceive me, and through it did slay `me'; 12 so that the law, indeed, `is' holy, and the command holy, and righteous, and good. 13 That which is good then, to me hath it become death? let it not be! but the sin, that it might appear sin, through the good, working death to me, that the sin might become exceeding sinful through the command, 14 for we have known that the law is spiritual, and I am fleshly, sold by the sin; 15 for that which I work, I do not acknowledge; for not what I will, this I practise, but what I hate, this I do. 16 And if what I do not will, this I do, I consent to the law that `it is' good, 17 and now it is no longer I that work it, but the sin dwelling in me, 18 for I have known that there doth not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, good: for to will is present with me, and to work that which is right I do not find, 19 for the good that I will, I do not; but the evil that I do not will, this I practise. 20 And if what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that work it, but the sin that is dwelling in me. 21 I find, then, the law, that when I desire to do what is right, with me the evil is present, 22 for I delight in the law of God according to the inward man, 23 and I behold another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of the sin that `is' in my members. 24 A wretched man I `am'! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death? 25 I thank God -- through Jesus Christ our Lord; so then, I myself indeed with the mind do serve the law of God, and with the flesh, the law of sin.
• Isa 6:5 : 5 And I say, `Wo to me, for I have been silent, For a man -- unclean of lips `am' I, And in midst of a people unclean of lips I am dwelling, Because the King, Jehovah of Hosts, have my eyes seen.'
• Matt 5:6 : 6 `Happy those hungering and thirsting for righteousness -- because they shall be filled.
• Luke 22:33 : 33 And he said to him, `Sir, with thee I am ready both to prison and to death to go;'