A healthy, flourishing garden draws the attention of everyone around. This same idea shows up in the Bible—except instead of blossoms, leaves, apples, and fruit trees, we’re talking about character traits that show we’re followers of Jesus. Not only do these traits make our lives richer and our relationships healthier, they also show others who we follow and what He’s like. These traits are called the fruits of the Spirit, and they’re meant to grow naturally in anyone who’s taking their next step towards Jesus. In this post, we’ll unpack what these fruits actually are, why they matter, and where you can find them in Scripture, and how you can grow in them to become more like Jesus.
What Are the Fruits of the Spirit in the Bible?
The phrase “fruit of the Spirit” actually appears only once in the New Testament in Galatians. It reads:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23
In a world that treasures money, fame, power, and riches, it’s a breath of fresh air to find out that the Kingdom of Heaven is different. The king in this kingdom is King Jesus, and He’s full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. When we give our hearts to Jesus, we surrender our old ways. Things like selfishness, envy, lust, fear, jealousy, gossip, and bitterness get traded in for the fruits of the Spirit instead.
If you haven't received Jesus as Lord of your life, today is a great day to receive Him as King! When you receive Jesus into your heart, your sins are forgiven, and you have the promise of eternal life with God in Heaven. Learn more about how to give your life to Jesus today: This is For You!
What Is the Meaning of Each Fruit of the Spirit?
Sometimes we hear words so often that they can lose their meaning. Based on the fruits of the Spirit Bible verses and other scriptures that point to the fruits of the Spirit, we’re going to provide Biblical definitions of each fruit. Let’s go!
1. Love: In the Bible, love is when we choose to love others, even when it’s hard. It’s exactly what Jesus did for us on the cross! This fruit of the Spirit has so many Bible verses about it that it would take a few hours to compile everything the scriptures say about love. However, some key verses on love remind us to love our enemy (Matthew 5:43-48), to be kind to those who persecute us (Luke 6:27-36), and to lay down our lives for one another (John 15:13) – especially our brothers and sisters in the faith (1 John 3:16).
Learn more about the love of God in our blog: 15 Bible Verses About God’s Love For You
2. Joy: When you first hear the word ‘joy,’ you probably think of happiness. While the two are very similar, joy is a type of happiness that isn’t dependent on circumstances. Because this joy comes from God, it is supernatural in nature! We get joy even during hard times because of the goodness of God.
Learn more about joy during difficult times: Can We Have Joy & Peace Daily?
3. Peace: Just like joy, God offers us a supernatural peace that only He can give us. Jesus tells us about this in John 14:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27
Peace is a fruit of the Spirit that can bring harmony to our lives even when everything is out of order. In Christ, there is a peace that surpasses understanding, even when we’re feeling anxiety (Philippians 4:7).
Struggling with anxiety and fear? Jesus has peace for you. Read about how to receive God’s peace in our blog: How to Find Peace in Stressful Situations
4. Patience: In our instant, fast-paced, and digitally advanced world, it can feel frustrating when we have to wait for anything. However, Jesus offers his followers patience as a fruit of the Spirit that can change the world. As we live and grow in God, we become more like Him. Because of this fruit of the Spirit, we strengthen the muscle of patience towards God, ourselves, and others.
Learn more about patience in our blog: Why Isn’t God Answering My Prayer?
5. Kindness: This fruit of the spirit goes hand in hand with love. We’re almost certain that Jesus was the kindest person to ever live… and given that He rose from the dead, He’s the kindest person that’s still living. As we choose to follow Jesus each day, He prunes things in our hearts – just like a gardener – that aren’t meant to stay. Things like anger, envy, and bitterness are pruned from us so that we can become more like God. As you continue in your faith journey, you’ll find that you’re becoming kinder every day.
Sometimes kindness comes in the form of asking questions. Learn more about how to share your faith kindly in our blog: 7 Questions to Help You Share Your Faith in Jesus
6. Goodness: This fruit of the Spirit is similar to kindness, but unique in its own way. As Christians, we’re not being good just because we’re supposed to; we choose to be good towards others in the world because God was good to us even when we didn’t deserve it. You can think of goodness and good deeds as a practical way to put Jesus on display.
You can show goodness, a fruit of the Spirit, by living each day on mission. Learn more in our blog: How to Bring the Light of God Everywhere
7. Faithfulness: Another word for this Biblical fruit of the spirit is loyalty. As we choose to be loyal to God, we become more faithful and trustworthy to others. Jesus helps us to follow through on our promises and grow in faithfulness every day.
Learn more about faihtfulnes in our blog: How to Walk by Faith
8. Gentleness: This fruit of the Spirit can be hard to strengthen for some. In the Bible, Jesus is often mentioned as humble, meek, or lowly. Even though Jesus was the creator of the world, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (Philippians 2:6). Gentleness in the Bible looks like humility, preferring others before ourselves, being slow to anger, and making sure that we don’t hold on to grudges.
You can become more gentle by practicing forgiveness. Learn how in our blog: Find Freedom Through Forgiveness
9. Self-Control: In short, this fruit of the Spirit is when we choose to do the right thing, rather than the wrong thing. Even though temptation is all around us, as Christians, we can make the choice to resist temptation through this fruit of the Spirit.
Learn more about self-control in our blog: What Does the Bible Actually Say About Self-Control?
Bible Verses About the Fruit of the Spirit
While the primary Bible verse about the fruits of the spirit is in Galatians, several passages in scripture tell us more about each fruit. Here are some of our favorite supplementary scriptures on the fruit of the Spirit:
Love: “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” — 1 Corinthians 13:13
This fruit of the Spirit Bible verse combines three fruits of the Spirit into one! But this passage of scripture mentions that love is the greatest of the three. Love is what helps every other fruit of the Spirit to flow effortlessly.
Joy: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials…” — James 1:2
Bible verses about the fruit of the Spirit show us that they are supernatural in nature. How can anyone have joy in difficult times? Only by the power of the Holy Spirit!
Peace: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” — Matthew 5:9
The New Testament is full of scriptures on the fruits of the Spirit. In the Bible, we see that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Because of Jesus, we’re able to have supernatural peace that the world could never give. When we receive this peace, we’re able to share His peace with others and influence the world as peacemakers.
Learn more about peace in our blog: Can We Have Joy & Peace in Stressful Times?
Patience: “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” — Lamentations 3:25
Biblical fruits of the Spirit are often tied to the Lord’s generosity instead of our own striving. This scripture on the fruits of the Spirit shows us that God is able to give us supernatural patience as we hope in Him. Rather than trying to muster up patience, we can receive patience through Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-3).
Kindness: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32
This fruit of the Spirit Bible verse empowers us to be kind. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit that everyone desires. We want to be people who can forgive easily and be compassionate towards others. Because of Jesus' forgiveness towards us and because we have His Holy Spirit, who gives us the fruits of the Spirit, we are able to be super kind to others.
Do you find it easy or hard to forgive your enemies? Through Jesus, anything is possible. Discover how in our blog: How to Love Someone You Disagree With
Goodness: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21
Fruit of the Spirit Bible verses often remind us about the character of God. God is the best, and His character, His ways, and His purposes are always good. As we grow in the fruits of the Spirit, we become more like Him. One of the ways we do this is by operating in the fruit of the Spirit of goodness. When we choose to overcome evil with good, rather than payback, we are bringing chaos into order, just like our Heavenly Father!
Faithfulness: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds - Hebrews 10:23-24
This scripture on the fruits of the Spirit from the Bible shows us that we can be faithful because He who promised, Jesus, is faithful. Because we've received the fruits of the Spirit from God, we can become faithful, just like Him.
Learn more about goodness and loving others in our blog: Mushy Asparagus & Jesus’ Command to Love
Gentleness: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart.” — Matthew 11:29
This scripture on the fruits of the Spirit is a quote from Jesus Himself. In Matthew 11, Jesus is talking to a crowd and tells them to take His yoke and learn from Him, because He is gentle and humble in heart. Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit that is helpful in every season of life: from motherhood to fatherhood to a full-time student or a full-time worker. Learning the fruit of the Spirit of gentleness can help us become more like Jesus and lead to fruitful faith conversations with others.
Learn more about how to share your faith in our blog: 3 Tips for Starting Conversations (Not Confrontations) About Your Faith
Self‑Control: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self‑discipline.” — 2 Timothy 1:7
Our final fruit of the Spirit from the Bible is self-control. This fruit of the Spirit Bible verse comes from 2 Timothy. Through God, we have the power to have courage, love, and self-control, or as some translations say, a sound mind.
You can overcome patterns through Jesus. Be inspired by the story of our friend, Gabe Craig, who went from being an addict to an evangelist: Jesus Saved Me From My Addiction: How a Near-Death Experience Changed Everything
A Song About the Fruits of the Spirit
Memorizing Bible Verses About the Fruits of the Spirit
Thankfully, memorizing the main Bible verse about the fruits of the Spirit is easy. You just need to listen to a kids' worship song about it! Here are two of our favorites that you can listen to on YouTube to memorize the fruits of the Spirit:
Conclusion
The fruits of the Spirit not only have the power to change your life, but they also have the power to change the world. Through Jesus, we have the supernatural gift of the fruits of the Spirit. These heavenly attributes provide a practical roadmap for living a life that reflects the heart of God in real, tangible ways. As you stay connected to the Holy Spirit through prayer, Bible reading, community, and confession, the fruits of the Spirit will flourish in your life! Your devotion to Jesus and the fruits of the Spirit will cause a ripple effect of goodness and Godliness towards everyone around you.
So, next time you’re feeling frustrated, remember that through God, you have supernatural patience. Or the next time you’re feeling joyful for no reason, thank God that He’s given you joy through the Holy Spirit! Here’s a short prayer to kick-start your journey of growing in the fruits of the Spirit:
“Heavenly Father, thank you that the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in me! I ask that you would give me the fruits of the Spirit in greater measure and teach me to become more like You. As you grow the fruits of the Spirit in my life, help me to show your love to those around me. Keep me patient on the journey. Thank you in advance for activating the fruits of the Spirit in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen!"
