The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

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Meaning

A person sincerely intends to do something but lacks the physical strength, discipline or resolve. Frequently self-deprecating. Flesh can mean bodily weakness, appetite or failure of self-control rather than anatomy alone. Regional use: Early modern English Bible tradition; now international English.

Origin

In Matthew 26:41, Jesus tells the disciples to watch and pray because 'the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak'. William Tyndale's 1526 New Testament already used substantially this English wording, so the King James translators preserved rather than coined it in 1611. Everyday use often makes the contrast humorous and much less theological.

Research Sources

  1. Matthew 26:41, King James Version Bible Gateway
  2. English phrases and sayings that derive from the Bible Phrase Finder
  3. Tyndale Bible: Matthew 26 TyndaleBible.com

Variants

  • The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak
  • The spirit is willing; the flesh is weak

Usage Examples

  • I meant to finish the report after dinner, but the spirit was willing and the flesh was weak.
  • The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak after three days on the road.
  • He volunteered for the early shift, only to discover that the spirit was more willing than the flesh.

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