Fruit of the Holy Spirit

The Catholic Church follows the Latin Vulgate version of Galatians in recognizing twelve attributes of the Fruit: charity (caritas), joy (gaudium), peace (pax), patience (patientia), benignity (benignitas), goodness (bonitas), longanimity (longanimitas), mildness (mansuetudo), faith (fides), modesty (modestia), continency (continentia), and chastity (castitas).

Aquinas pointed out that numbered among the attributes of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit are certain virtues, such as charity, meekness, faith, chastity, and kindness.

"[2] Augustine's commentary on Galatians 5:25-26 says, "the Apostle had no intention of teaching us how many [either works of the flesh, or fruit of the Spirit] there are; but to show how the former should be avoided, and the latter sought after.

"[2] Agape (love) denotes an undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable goodwill that always seeks the highest good for others, no matter their behavior.

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.According to Strong's Greek Lexicon, the word ἀγάπη (agapē) means love, affection, or benevolence.

The joy referred to here is characterized as deeper than mere happiness; it is described as rooted in God and coming from him.

This divine attribution makes it perceived as more serene and stable than worldly happiness, which is merely emotional and lasts only for a time.

[11] The Greek word εἰρήνη (eirēnē) means peace (literally or figuratively) and, by implication, prosperity.

It describes the capacity to continue to bear up under difficult circumstances, not with a passive complacency, but with a hopeful fortitude that actively resists weariness and defeat, with hupomone further understood as "opposed to cowardice or despondency".

[16] One scholar has noted that when the word chrestotes is applied to interpersonal relationships, it conveys the idea of being adaptable to others.

[19][20][21] This can be interpreted as moral excellence or virtue; the best part of anything; joy in being good; or generally a quality character.

[24] The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews describes it this way: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God".