King James Bible
"Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,"
Paul begins with religious sins that violate the first commandment—idolatry being the worship of false gods and witchcraft involving occult practices. These were common in pagan Galatia and represent fundamental rebellion against God's sovereignty. These sins describe internal attitudes that poison relationships—from general hostility to discord, jealous rivalry, and explosive anger. Paul shows how the flesh produces emotional states that destroy community unity. The list culminates in sins that fracture the church through quarreling, rebellious divisions, and factional parties. These represent the outward manifestation of the previous internal attitudes, threatening the very fabric of Christian fellowship.