Fruit, More Fruit, Much Fruit

A classic example may be the word “prevent” as found in 1 Thess. 4:15. In the older Authorized Kings James Version, the word means “to go before” while a modern reader may understand the word to mean “to stop.”  The modern understanding of the word “charity” has a different connotation than it's use in the KJV. Their charity means “love”, although in today’s use it means “to help the poor”.

This same difficulty is encountered with such words as “longsuffering”, “patience”, “gentleness”, “kindness,” “faith”, “meekness”, “humility” and “temperance”. The meanings and ideas that may come into the mind of one reader may not necessarily be the same as those of another. By drawing up a comparative list of the Fruit from various translations of scripture as outlined in Gal. 5:22-23, it is readily seen that the original Greek words are translated in a variety of ways. Sometimes the same English word is used to translate different Greek words!

To assist the reader, the author has chosen, when quoting scriptures throughout this book, to use the New King James Version (NKJV), but always to refer to the Fruit of the Spirit by name as written in the Authorized King James Version (KJV).

Great care has been taken to give definitions that are true to the original Greek words, based upon research and their usage throughout the New Testament. What has been sought after is the description of the character traits that were in Paul’s mind when he penned the epistle to the Galatians.

May the Lord bless you as you embark upon this study of Fruit, More Fruit, Much Fruit! May He cause your life to be fruitful in every good work, causing you to blossom in love towards God, towards others, and in the control of self! May the Church shine forth and demonstrate the reality of the Body of Christ!