There is no commentary to accompany the next two acrostics, which appear on the New Testament: the Early Church page. Rather, I wrote them as aide memoires to help memorise the Fruits of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit, which are often confused. The fruits are enumerated quite clearly in Galatians 5:22-23. The gifts aren’t listed quite so definitively – they are referred to in different places and are more variable between versions of the Bible, but are mainly set out in 1 Corinthians 12. I’ve made an attempt to gather them here.
Fruits of the Spirit
Followers of Jesus
Respond with love, spread joy.
United
In the Spirit
They foster peace,
Show patience, and don’t annoy.
Others’ burdens bearing
Freely, gladly sharing
They act with kindness
Hold fast to all goodness
Exemplify faithfulness.
Saints act with gentlenessand
Practise self-control; they endure
Insults and injuries with
Rejoicing. To be sure,
If you abide in the Spirit,
Then you are free from the law.
Gifts of the Spirit
God’s Holy Spirit intercedes,
Imparting talents to us in different measure
For the common good and particular needs.
To some, wisdom is a special treasure;
Still others are given knowledge to convey.
Others, in times of trouble, are a strong tower –
Faith, deep and sure, they display.
Then, there are those whose power
Heals the broken body, the heart that’s riven.
Even more, some have the ability to perform
Signs and miracles; whilst some are given
Prophetic powers to counsel and warn.
Ineffable words are spoken by some, through
Rapturous tongues from angels above.
Interpreting those tongues is for others to do –
Though greater than any talent, is the gift of love.
Faith Acrostics 