In describing what human nature does as quite plain, Paul is simply saying that it is well-known to everyone; in other words, that anyone can recognize it as “works of the flesh” (New English Bible “anyone can see the kind of behaviour that belongs to the lower nature”; New American Bible “it is obvious what proceeds from the flesh”).

Human nature translates “flesh” as in verses 16 and 17.

In a number of languages one cannot speak of human nature doing certain things. Rather, one must speak of people doing certain things because of their human nature. One may therefore render the first sentence in this verse as “Because of what people really are, it is clear to everyone how they act; they are immoral….”

Scholars have suggested that what Paul enumerates falls logically into four groups. The first group includes “immorality,” “impurity,” and “licentiousness,” which seem to be acts connected with sex or sensuality. “Immorality” translates a word which originally meant “prostitution” but came to mean sexual unfaithfulness and was used as a general term for any kind of sexual sin or immoral acts.

“Impurity” translates a Greek word which originally was used to describe the contents of graves and came to mean ceremonial or moral uncleanness with no special emphasis on sexual vice. In Paul’s thinking, however, it is associated with “immorality” seven times (out of nine), and therefore in this passage also it may be interpreted as sexual uncleanness.

The third word in this series “licentiousness” (Revised Standard Version), probably refers here to sexual excesses, resulting in indecent conduct.

It is always possible to find some general term for immoral, but it may not be so easy to find two other corresponding terms which would indicate other aspects or increasingly evil degrees of sexual immorality. In some languages terms such as filthy and indecent actions may be expressed as idioms, for example, “acting like dogs,” or “copulating in evil ways.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .