the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak proverb: as much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible. Sometimes extended to jocular or organizational referents.
Proverb
the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
- As much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible. Sometimes extended to jocular or organizational referents.
- It’s obvious that when it comes to business vs government regulation the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.1976 May 10, Stanley Modic, “Spirit Is Willing, but . . .”, in Industry Week, Cleveland, Oh., →ISSN, →OCLC; quoted in Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 94ᵗʰ Congress, Second...
- I should have more willpower, but as the saying goes, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Thus, all too often, instead of going to waste, my leftovers go to “waist.”2019 January 19, Sue Bowman, “Rural Ramblings: Weighing In”, in Lancaster Farming, Northern edition, volume 64, number 16, Ephrata, Pa., →ISSN, →OCLC, page B9, column 1
the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak meaning in Hindi and Arabic
the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak in Hindi
- achieving something is made impossible by frailty
- आत्मा तैयार है लेकिन मांस कमजोर है ātmā taiyār hai lekin māns kamjor hai
the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak in Arabic
- achieving something is made impossible by frailty
- الرُوحُ تَوَّاقَةُ وَلٰكِنَّ الجَسَدُ ضَعِيفُ ar-rūḥu tawwāqatu walākinna l-jasadu ḍaʕīfu
Synonyms of the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
Forms of the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
| alternative form | the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak |
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Origin of the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
From the Bible's account of Jesus' last night in Gethsemane. Matthew 26:41: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Questions about the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
- What does the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak mean?
- The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak means as much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible. Sometimes extended to jocular or organizational referents.
- What is the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak in Hindi?
- The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak in Hindi is आत्मा तैयार है लेकिन मांस कमजोर है (ātmā taiyār hai lekin māns kamjor hai). See The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak meaning in Hindi.
- What part of speech is the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak?
- The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak is a proverb.
Words near the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak in the dictionary
- The Slopes
- the snot out of
- the spirit is strong but the flesh is weak
- the spirit is strong, but the flesh is weak
- the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
- the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
- the spirit moves someone
- the spoils belong to the victor
- the squeaky wheel gets the grease
- the squeaky wheel gets the oil
- the squirts
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.wav.
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