What Does Galatians 5:26 Mean in the King James?
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Vain glory is weightless status-seeking, and it turns the people beside you into opponents.
THE MEANING
This verse shows how empty status-seeking acts in you now: it provokes another person to prove something and makes their good feel like your diminishment. Rivalry is not separate from the hunger for recognition; it is the shape that hunger takes between people.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that being seen as greater gives you real weight. Glory chased through comparison is empty, and the relationship becomes the evidence.
THE ROOT
κενόδοξοι
kenodoxoi
GROWS FROM
κενός + δόξα (kenos + doxa)
Empty + weight or glory: glory without substance.
“vain glory” in this verse is kenodoxoi. The Greek joins “empty” and “glory” into one word: status without substance. Because this hunger is empty, it reaches outward to provoke others and inward to envy what they have.
ALSO GROWS
kenos: Empty, hollow, without substance.
κενός
This part of the compound exposes the hollowness within the pursuit of status.
doxa: Weight, glory, reputation.
δόξα
The verse exposes the attempt to find real weight in reputation and appearance.
THE PATTERN
When worth is sought in self-exalting appearance, relationship becomes rivalry.
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.THE THREAD
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.“Vainglory” here comes from the same Greek word family as “vain glory” in Galatians: kenos joined with doxa, emptiness joined with glory. Philippians names the same hollow pursuit, while Galatians shows what it does between people: provocation and envy.
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