Goodwill that acts for someone else's good, whether or not they return it.
"Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn't envy." 1 Corinthians 13:4 (WEB)
Try it today: Notice one person today you usually overlook, and do one thing for their good.
What do the fruit of the Spirit mean in Greek?
In Greek, Galatians 5:22-23 lists agapē (love), chara (joy), eirēnē (peace), makrothymia (patience), chrēstotēs (kindness), agathōsynē (goodness), pistis (faith), prautēs (gentleness) and enkrateia (self-control). Each word carries a sharper picture than its English one. The glossary below gives the plain meaning, its Strong's number, how the King James Version translated it, and another verse that uses the same Greek word.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23 (WEB)
Updated November 2026 · Greek words and Strong's numbers from the Bible Hub interlinear for Galatians 5:22; verses from the World English Bible (public domain)
Same Greek, different English: KJV vs WEB
Five of the nine fruit sound different depending on which Bible you grew up with. Here is the King James wording next to the World English Bible, the public-domain translation Ninefruit quotes.
makrothymialongsufferingpatience
chrēstotēsgentlenesskindness
prautēsmeeknessgentleness
enkrateiatemperanceself-control
pistisfaithfaith
Struck-through word: KJV. Bold word: WEB. Watch "gentleness": the KJV uses it for chrēstotēs, the WEB for prautēs. Same English word, two different Greek ones.
The glossary: nine Greek words, one at a time
- 01ἀγάπηagapēlove
- 02χαράcharajoy
Gladness that does not depend on everything going well.
"I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full." John 15:11 (WEB)
Try it today: Write down one good thing from today before bed.
- 03εἰρήνηeirēnēpeace
Wholeness and settledness, with God and with people; more than the absence of conflict.
"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you." John 14:27 (WEB)
Try it today: Before a hard moment, name what you can hold and what you have to carry to God.
- 04μακροθυμίαmakrothymiapatience
Literally a 'long temper': taking a long time to boil over, especially with people.
"Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience?" Romans 2:4 (WEB)
Try it today: When you feel your voice rising, pause and lower it on purpose.
- 05χρηστότηςchrēstotēskindness
Usefulness to others with a soft edge: being good to be around.
"...the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:7 (WEB)
Try it today: Do one kind thing today that nobody will know was you.
- 06ἀγαθωσύνηagathōsynēgoodness
Doing what is right and generous, even when it costs you.
"For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth." Ephesians 5:9 (WEB)
Try it today: Do the right thing in one small choice where cutting a corner would be easier.
- 07πίστιςpistisfaith
Trust, and the trustworthiness that grows from it: being someone others can count on.
"...not stealing, but showing all good fidelity." Titus 2:10 (WEB)
Try it today: Make one small promise today, and keep it.
- 08πραΰτηςprautēsgentleness
Strength under control: a humble, mild way of handling people, especially when correcting them.
"...restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness." Galatians 6:1 (WEB)
Try it today: Soften one thing you were about to say.
- 09ἐγκράτειαenkrateiaself-control
Inner mastery: having a hold on yourself, especially your appetites and impulses.
"As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come..." Acts 24:25 (WEB)
Try it today: When an urge hits, delay it by ten minutes and see if it is still there.
Two more words worth knowing
karpos (G2590), fruit. It is singular in Galatians 5:22: one fruit with nine qualities, not nine separate fruits.
pneuma (G4151), spirit, wind or breath. Here it means the Holy Spirit, set against "the works of the flesh" listed just before in Galatians 5:19-21.
Summary: the Greek turns nine nice words into nine concrete habits, from a long temper to strength under control.
Fruit of the Spirit questions beginners ask
What are the 9 fruits of the Spirit in Greek?
agapē (love), chara (joy), eirēnē (peace), makrothymia (patience), chrēstotēs (kindness), agathōsynē (goodness), pistis (faith or faithfulness), prautēs (gentleness) and enkrateia (self-control), from Galatians 5:22-23.
Why is it 'fruit' and not 'fruits' of the Spirit?
The Greek word karpos in Galatians 5:22 is singular. Many readers take that to mean the nine qualities grow together as one harvest rather than as separate gifts; that is an interpretation, but the singular noun is in the text.
Is it 'faith' or 'faithfulness' in Galatians 5:22?
The Greek word is pistis, which can mean trust or trustworthiness. The KJV and the World English Bible say 'faith'; several modern translations say 'faithfulness' because the list is about character.
What does makrothymia mean?
It combines 'long' and 'temper' or 'passion': being slow to boil over. The KJV translates it 'longsuffering'; most modern translations say 'patience'.
What is the difference between kindness and goodness in the list?
Chrēstotēs (kindness) leans toward a gentle, useful way of treating people. Agathōsynē (goodness) leans toward doing what is right and generous. The two overlap, and scholars draw the line in slightly different places.
Do I need to learn Greek to grow in these?
No. Knowing the words can sharpen what each one means, but Galatians 5 is about how you live. That is why Ninefruit pairs each fruit with a real situation and one small practice.
From definition to daily practice, in 3 steps
Ninefruit is the app we make for exactly this jump. A definition tells you what makrothymia means; it does not help when someone cuts you off in traffic.
- Today's moment. One realistic situation from home, school, work or online. Choose what you would honestly do. No score, no judgement.
- What the Bible says. The verse word for word from the World English Bible, an "in plain words" explanation, and tap-to-explain tricky words.
- One practice for today. A small action, like The Pause for patience. Your orchard of nine trees grows from what you actually do.
Honest limits
- This page is not a lexicon. Our definitions are short summaries. For full word studies, use a Greek lexicon or a commentary; scholars disagree at the edges, especially between kindness and goodness.
- Ninefruit does not teach Greek. It explains Bible words in plain English and focuses on practice.
- Free and premium. Free: today's moment every day, Help Me Practise, your starter plan and its tool, daily rounds of every game, weekly challenges, the journal, your orchard and study cards, the 9 Fruit reflection and the widget. Premium (annual with a free trial for eligible new subscribers, or one-time Lifetime): all nine practice plans, the full moment library, every Decision Story, unlimited games and the full Family Conversation deck.
- Not counselling. Ninefruit is a practice and learning tool, and it never asks anyone to stay somewhere unsafe. iPhone only.
A decision we made: no streak punishments. Nothing wilts, nothing is bought, and missing a day costs you nothing, because guilt is a poor fertiliser for patience.
Nine words. One small practice a day.
Make it a habit with Ninefruit: about two minutes, free on iPhone.
Related
- Ninefruit: practise the Fruit of the SpiritPractise love, joy, peace and all nine fruit in two-minute everyday moments: a situation, a verse in plain words, one step. Free on iPhone.
- Fruit or fruits of the Spirit? Six myths, sortedIs it fruit or fruits of the Spirit? Sort six common myths in two minutes, see the Greek, the gifts and the 'twelve fruits', with sources.
- 7-day patience challenge: one pause a dayA 7-day patience challenge from Galatians 5: one real situation, one verse and one 10-second pause a day. Free pause counter, no sign-up.
- A 27-day Fruit of the Spirit Advent checklistA free 27-day Advent checklist from 29 November to Christmas Day: nine fruits of the Spirit, three small days each. Scratch today's card.