The Fruit of the Spirit is a take-that and give-that card game.

The goal of the game is to collect and present all nine fruits listed in Galatians 5:22-23.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV)

To play each Fruit Card, players need to follow the instructions on the card.

Players also need to watch out for other players playing Deed cards against them.

Thankfully, you can also use a Wild Card to fill in a gap in your Fruit Tree.

The winner is the first player to have all nine Fruit Cards showing in front of them.

The Fruit of the Spirit is a take-that and give-that game, meaning that the Deed cards often involve taking an action that hurts another player's chance of winning and the Fruit cards sometimes involve taking an action that blesses another player.

The rules listed here are for the version of the game played between up to four individual players. For more than four players, we recommend using the team play version described below in the Variants section.

Objective

Be the first to display all 9 Fruit of the Spirit cards.

Game Setup

1. Remove the 2 game instruction cards from the deck.
2. Shuffle the remaining Fruit and Deed cards.
3. Deal 5 cards to each player.
4. Place remaining cards face down as a draw pile.
5. Turn the top card over to form a discard pile.

It might be helpful to download (from here) and print the Fruit Tree as a visual reminder of the Fruit Cards to be collected. Each player can put a Fruit Tree printout in front of them and then play Fruit cards onto the matching spaces. When all nine spaces on the Fruit Tree in front of a player are filled with the corresponding Fruit cards, then that player has won the game.

Game Play

Players take turns drawing, discarding, and playing Fruit and Deed cards on their Fruit Tree in front of them.

On each turn, a player may:

Skip their turn, OR

1. Draw a card from either the draw pile or the discard pile.
2. If possible, follow instructions on one Fruit Card and one Deed Card.
• Playing a Joy or a Faithfulness card does not count as your one Fruit Card for your turn.
• When played, a Fruit Card is displayed face up in front of the player (on the Fruit Tree).
• A Deed Card is played on top of the Self-Control card if it is showing, otherwise, it is played on top of any other Fruit Card.
• Any Fruit Card covered by a Deed Card must be "re-earned" or "redeemed".
• "Re-earning" a Fruit Card means that the player must get another of that Fruit in their hand again and follow the instructions again to be able to play it on top of the covering Deed Card.
• "Redeeming" a Fruit Card happens when either the Self-Control Card is played by this player, or the Love Card is played by another player and used to remove all Deed Cards in front of this player.
3. Discard as many cards as the player desires.
• Deed cards can only be discarded if the Self-Control Card is showing on the this player's Fruit Tree.

At the end of each turn, the player draws (from either pile) or discards cards as necessary to end the turn with 5 cards in his hand.

The Fruit of the Spirit deck is comprised of 90 cards:

• 7 of each of the 9 Fruit cards (63 total)
• 5 Wild cards (5 total)
• 5 of each of the Envy, Rivalry, and Uncleanness Deed cards (15 total)
• 4 Jealousy Deed cards (4 total)
• 1 Revelry Deed card (1 total)
• 2 cards explaining the game rules (2 total)

The 2 cards explaining the game rules are removed from the deck before playing the game. Each of the remaining 88 cards includes text explaining what happens when the card gets played. Let's look at each of the cards individually to better understand these actions.

Fruit Cards

Each of the Fruit cards has the name of the fruit at the top, an icon for that fruit in the top left, instructions for playing the card in the center, and at the bottom the word "Fruit" with an icon of an olive tree indicating that this is a Fruit card.

To play the Love card, a player must remove and discard all of the Deed cards in front of an opponent.

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40 WEB)

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 WEB)

And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8 WEB)

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs. (Proverbs 10:12 WEB)

Christ loves the church unconditionally, sacrificially, and with a purpose. He commanded us not only to love our family, friends, and brethren, but even to love our enemies. Love covers a multitude of sins, in contrast with hate, which stirs up strife. As Paul explains in Galatians 6:1, we are to restore our sinning brother in a spirit of gentleness. That demonstrates love.

Playing the Love card counts as the one Fruit card that can be played during a turn, although it can also be played in the same turn as a Faithfulness card, and a Joy card can be played immediately following the Love card.

The icon on the Love card is a heart-shaped tree formed by a collection of hearts of different sizes and shades. The heart is the universal symbol for love.

You may play the Joy card immediately after playing another Fruit card.

Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, "Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4 WEB)

Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2 WEB)

Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 WEB)

Growing in fruitfulness is certainly worthy of rejoicing!

Joy is not a happy go lucky attitude, it is a profound sense of Christian happiness in the fact that we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, that our access to the throne of God is open, and that we need not fear the wrath of God or the evil intentions of man. Whatever circumstance we find ourselves in we can endure that knowing that God is on His throne and God is gracious to us in every circumstance. And the Holy Spirit is working with us to develop the Fruit of the Spirit!

Playing the Joy card does not count as the one Fruit card that can be played during a turn.

Hint: Be careful to not run out of opportunities to play the Joy card since it can only be played immediately after playing a Fruit card onto an open spot on your Fruit Tree.

The icon on the Joy card is of a woman rejoicing, surrounded by oranges. Orange is a color often associated with joy.

When you play the Peace card, all players (including yourself) must discard a Deed card, if they have one. Players do not draw replacement cards.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9 WEB)

If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. (Romans 12:18 WEB)

Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; (Romans 5:1 WEB)

"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful." (John 14:27 WEB)

By nature we are estranged from, at enmity with, and at war with God, and with our neighbors, and even with ourselves. But the Bible tells us that, through the blood of Christ, we are reconciled to God -- we experience peace with Him -- and because of that we can live at peace with others and truly find peace within ourselves.

Playing the Peace card counts as the one Fruit card that can be played during a turn, although it can also be played in the same turn as a Faithfulness card, and a Joy card can be played immediately following the Peace card.

The icon on the Peace card is of a dove carrying a fruit branch. The dove is often used as a symbol for peace.

In order to play the Patience card, you must skip a turn without drawing, discarding, or playing a Fruit or Deed card. On the following turn, you may play the Patience card as the one Fruit card you play.

But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:25 WEB)

We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient toward all. (1 Thessalonians 5:14 WEB)

Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness. (Psalm 103:8)

Good things are worth waiting for, including earning the Patience card.

In the Bible, patience, or long-suffering most often refers to the ability to not act immediately in-kind in response to those who act badly against us. In the world, the saying is "don't get mad, get even", but the Christian knows that vengeance belongs to the Lord. We can learn to be long-suffering because we have enjoyed God's patience with us, suffering long our many sins against Him.

Playing the Patience card counts as the one Fruit card that can be played during a turn, although it can also be played in the same turn as a Faithfulness card, and a Joy card can be played immediately following the Patience card.

The icon on the Patience card is of an Aloe Vera plant. This plant can survive months waiting for rain, and the word "Aloe" simply means patience. The Aloe Vera plant is also known for its healing properties, just as patience can heal many damaged relationships and wounds.

In order to play the Kindness card, you must first take a card from your hand and play it for an opponent. It must be a card that is not currently displayed in front of them. You place the card on their Fruit Tree as if they had successfully played it. You then play the Kindness card on your Fruit Tree.

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil." (Luke 6:35 WEB)

And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32 WEB)

She opens her mouth with wisdom. Kind instruction is on her tongue. (Proverbs 31:26 WEB)

Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; (Colossians 3:12 WEB)

Helping an opponent towards their own goal is certainly a way of showing love and kindness to them.

The Hebrew word often translated as kindness is Hesed, or leal (loyal, true, covenantal) love. It describes a sense of love and loyalty that inspires merciful and compassionate behavior toward another person.

Kindness is what the Old Testament book of Ruth is all about -- how Ruth showed kindness to her bereaved mother-in-law, Naomi, how Boaz showed kindness to Ruth, and how Boaz felt that Ruth had shown kindness to him -- all because of the kindness of God who is kind to His people.

Playing the Kindness card counts as the one Fruit card that can be played during a turn, although obviously you will also play another Fruit card for another player; it can also be played in the same turn as a Faithfulness card; and a Joy card can be played immediately following the Kindness card.

The icon on the Kindness card is of a fruit being carried forth on angels' wings.

To play the Goodness card, recite from memory the nine Fruits of the Spirit. They don't have to be in order and they don't have to be from any specific Bible translation (e.g. saying "longsuffering" rather than "patience" is perfectly acceptable).

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:8 WEB)

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. (Romans 12:9 WEB)

Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8 WEB)

Goodness is a relative term - it has to be determined based on a standard, and that standard is God. When we say that someone is good, what we're saying is that they're living as the image of God should, reflecting His character in their words and actions.

The Fruit of the Spirit represents Godliness, which is certainly also goodness.

The Bible tells us that only God is good (Matthew 19:17) and that no human does good (Psalm 14:3, Romans 3:12). Fallen people are incapable of doing anything truly good. But as a result of our regeneration and the Holy Spirit working in us, we now have a possibility of doing good. In terms of our relationships with each other, goodness reflects integrity and generosity.

Playing the Goodness card counts as the one Fruit card that can be played during a turn, although it can also be played in the same turn as a Faithfulness card, and a Joy card can be played immediately following the Goodness card.

The icon on the Goodness card is of a plum. The plum tree blossoms appear at the end of winter from seemingly dead branches and is seen as a symbol of the life of Spring overcoming the deadness of Winter, or more generally of good overcoming evil.

Whenever you draw the Faithfulness card from either the draw or discard pile, you immediately either play it or discard it, draw another card, and continue play. You cannot play the Faithfulness card if it is dealt to you or you take it from another player.

God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9 WEB)

Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10 WEB)

Know therefore that Yahweh your God himself is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness to a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commandments (Deuteronomy 7:9 WEB)

Faithfulness is fully trusting God, always and for everything. If we had perfect faith, we would never sin. We know that God's commandments are for our own good. When we sin, we show that we don't believe this. We choose short term pleasure over the eternal happiness that God promises to those who have faith in Christ.

We are called to be faithful to God and to each other, just as God is faithful to His people. In our relationships with others, faithfulness is being consistent, reliable, able to be trusted, dependable.

Playing the Faithfulness card does not count as the one Fruit or Deed card that can be played during a turn.

Hint: If you are dealt the Faithfulness card, you can't play it from your hand, but you can make it the last card you discard in your turn and then pick it back up (and play it) from the discard pile as part of drawing back up to five cards.

The icon on the Faithfulness card is of a "fruitful" anchor representing the sure and steadfast hope we have in Christ.

When you play the Gentleness card, you then hand your cards to an opponent for them to look at and pick a card to take for their own hand.

If you have a Joy card in your hand when you play Gentleness, you can also immediately play the Joy card before handing your cards to your opponent.

Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1-2 WEB)

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29 WEB)

Gentleness implies empathy and compassion. We recognize in others shortcomings that we also have or had in the past, and we earnestly desire that they overcome those weaknesses and grow in Godliness.

In the world, gentleness is often seen as weakness, but it's actually the opposite. Gentleness requires confidence and power. As Christians we know where our power comes from and as we grow in that understanding, we also grow in our capacity for gentleness. The opposite of gentleness is arrogance and abrasiveness.

Playing the Gentleness card counts as the one Fruit card that can be played during a turn, although it can also be played in the same turn as a Faithfulness card, and a Joy card can be played immediately following the Gentleness card.

The icon on the Gentleness card is of sweetgrass, a traditional symbol of gentleness, kindness, and compassion.

When you play the Self-Control card, you immediately discard all Deed cards in your hand and remove and discard any Deed cards covering Fruit cards on your Fruit Tree.

For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7 WEB)

Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control perseverance; and in perseverance godliness; and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

Self-control as a Fruit of the Spirit seems almost like a contradiction in terms. The Spirit is working in us to develop the virtues of the Fruit of the Spirit, but we are also called to work in developing them in ourselves with the Spirit's help. Godliness cannot grow without the Spirit applying the Word in our lives, and it cannot grow without our striving after that Godliness. A growing Christian will be increasingly able to bridle the wild and chaotic impulses that would otherwise lead him to destruction.

Speaking of the fallen world, we say "It's a jungle out there." Contrast that with the perfect order and beauty of the garden of God's creation in Genesis 1. Let us bring order and beauty to the world to God's glory as we work with the Spirit to develop all of the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and put to death the deeds of the flesh.

Playing the Self-Control card does count as the one Fruit card that can be played during a turn.

The icon on the Self-Control card is of a cluster of grapes. Self-control has often been closely associated with temperance movements. Drunkeness is a form of lack of self-control in itself and also leads to loss of self-control in other areas of life.

On your turn, if it's impossible for you to play another Fruit card, and you have a Wild card in your hand, you can play it onto your Fruit Tree in place of any Fruit card.

You do not have to meet the requirements or perform the actions normally associated with the Fruit card it is replacing.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree, (Romans 11:17 WEB)

But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house. I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever. (Psalm 52:8 WEB)

Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house, your children like olive shoots around your table. Behold, this is how the man who fears Yahweh is blessed. (Psalm 128:3-4 WEB)

For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26 WEB)

God is gracious and merciful, adopting some into His family who, by their own merits, are completely unworthy. Apart from Christ we have no hope and there's no work we can do to earn our way in. But, thanks be to God, by Christ's work, through faith, we are in Christ and His merit is applied to us.

Playing a Wild card does count as the one Fruit card that can be played during a turn.

The icon on the Wild card is of wild olives. An olive tree is also used in the logo for the entire game. In Biblical times, olives were highly valued and used for everything from eating, to producing oil for cooking, to burning the oil for light. The olive tree is often used symbolically to represent God's people, with olive oil representing the Holy Spirit. Paul uses wild olive branches to represent Gentile believers being adopted into God's family. Jesus Christ, the root of Jesse, is like the root of an olive tree, the source of spiritual life so that we may bear spiritual fruit.

Deed Cards

Each Deed card has the name of the deed at the top, instructions for playing the card in the center, the word "Deed" at the bottom, and icons of a snake in a garden in the top left and bottom right corners indicating this is a Deed of the Flesh card.

The icon of a snake in the grass represents Satan, the father of all evil deeds.

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3 WEB)

In Galatians 5, between 15 and 17 deeds of the flesh are listed, depending on translation. Puritan theologian William Perkins broke this long list into four categories. Using modern language, these categories are:

• Sins of Immorality
• Sins against True Religion
• Sins against Love of Neighbor
• Sins against Temperance

In The Fruit of the Spirit, we have only included five of these deeds of the flesh to represent all the wickedness that is naturally in our lives as a result of the fall.

Deed cards are played on top of Fruit cards. If the Self Control card is showing in your Fruit Tree and you play a Deed card, that Deed card covers the Self-Control card. Otherwise, the Deed card can cover any other Fruit card you have played.

Note that you cannot discard Deed cards unless the Self-Control Fruit card has been played on your Fruit Tree. The only exception to this is when you are forced to discard a Deed card when anyone plays the Peace Fruit card.

When you play the Envy card, you take a card that another player has played in front of them and place it in your hand.

Using Perkins' categories, Envy is a sin against the love of neighbor.

Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear Yahweh all day long. (Proverbs 23:17 WEB)

Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways. (Proverbs 3:31 WEB)

The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones. (Proverbs 14:30 WEB)

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Exodus 20:17 WEB)

But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6 WEB)

Envy is a feeling of discontentment and resentment along with a desire for something another has.

Envy counts as the one Deed card that can be played during a turn.

You may play the Jealousy card immediately when an opponent plays a Kindness card. You don't wait for your turn to play it. When you play the Jealousy card, you take the card being given by your opponent and place it on your Fruit Tree.

Using Perkins' categories, Jealousy is a sin against the love of neighbor.

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. (James 3:14-16 WEB)

For resentment kills the foolish man, and jealousy kills the simple. (Job 5:2 WEB)

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2 WEB)

for you shall worship no other god; for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. (Exodus 34:14 WEB)

Jealousy is often confused with envy. The two concepts are closely related, but while envy is focused on a desire for things, jealousy is focused on relationship. There is a healthy form of jealousy, for example, a husband's expectation that his wife will exclusively love him. God Himself is described as a jealous God, rightly expecting our unwavering desire for Him alone. But there is also sinful jealousy, when we have selfish and wrong expectations about a relationship with one who isn't covenantally bound to us, for example getting upset when our best friend is kind or displays friendship with another. Sinful jealousy can also be a form of covetousness.

Jealousy is not played during your turn so it does not count as the one Deed card that can be played during a turn.

When you play the Revelry card, you can look through the entire discard deck and choose one card to add to your hand.

Using Perkins' categories, Revelry is a sin against temperance.

For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. (1 Peter 4:3 WEB)

Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy. (Romans 13:13 WEB)

But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed, receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you; (2 Peter 2:12-13 WEB)

It is good to celebrate good, God-given gifts, including special events, but revelry is all about "the party" and not about God and His goodness to us. Revelries are often loud, disruptive, and inconsiderate of others. They are self-centered and often out of control. Those drawn to revelries do not care about "proper" behavior, but merely seek to satisfy their own desires.

Revelry counts as the one Deed card that can be played during a turn.

When you play the Rivalry card, you ask another player to hold their cards up for you to blindly take one from them and place it in your hand. You then pick a card from your hand to give them in return. Giving them back the card you just took from them is allowed.

Using Perkins' categories, Rivalry is a sin against the love of neighbor.

doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; (Philippians 2:3 WEB)

But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest. (Mark 9:34 WEB)

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6 WEB)

Rivalry is a "me against you" competitive attitude. Sometimes we use the term "friendly rivalry" to describe a competitive spirit that is marked by mutual admiration and genuine happiness for the "rival" if he wins. But sinful rivalry has a sense of disrespect and even hatred for the rival, desiring them to fail and even suffer harm. An unhealthy desire to win at all costs causes us to act in a selfish and unloving way.

Rivalry counts as the one Deed card that can be played during a turn.

You may play the Uncleanness card immediately when any other player discards a card that you need. You don't wait for your turn to play it. When you play the Uncleanness card, you take the card being discarded and add it to your hand.

Using Perkins' categories, Uncleanness is a sin of immorality.

“Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days." (Numbers 19:16 WEB)

But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks. Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:3-5 WEB)

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29 WEB)

likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. (Ephesians 2:9-10 ESV)

Uncleanness is a major theme of the Old Testament. In the law given by God to Moses, there were many laws defining who was clean and could participate in worship and who was unclean and couldn't. Some of these dealt with touching something that had died or represented death and disease as opposed to the life found in God. The prophets broadened the concept to emphasize moral uncleanness beyond that defined in the ceremonial law. In Galatians, the term probably deals with acting immorally and may include using foul language or dressing immodestly.

Uncleanness is not played during your turn so it does not count as the one Deed card that can be played during a turn.

Team Play

If you have 4 to six players, you can play The Fruit of the Spirit as teams of two or three players.

Objective

Be the first team to display all 9 Fruit of the Spirit cards.

Game Setup

1. Form teams of 2 or 3 players each.
2. Remove the 2 game instruction cards from the deck.
3. Shuffle the remaining Fruit and Deed cards.
4. Deal 5 cards to each player.
5. Place remaining cards face down as a draw pile.
6. Turn the top card over to form a discard pile.

It might be helpful to download (from here) and print the Fruit Tree as a visual reminder of the Fruit Cards to be collected. Each team can put a Fruit Tree printout in front of one of their players and then play Fruit cards onto the matching spaces. When all nine spaces on the Fruit Tree in front of a player are filled with the corresponding Fruit cards, then that team has won the game.

Game Play

Players take turns drawing, discarding, and playing Fruit and Deed cards on their Fruit Tree in front of them.

On each turn, a player may:

Skip their turn (other players on their team do NOT need to skip their turns), OR

1. Draw a card from either the draw pile or the discard pile.
2. If possible, follow instructions on one Fruit Card and one Deed Card.
• Playing a Joy or a Faithfulness card does not count as your one Fruit Card for your turn.
• When played, a Fruit Card is displayed face up on the team's Fruit Tree.
• A Deed Card is played on top of the Self-Control card if it is showing, otherwise, it is played on top of any other Fruit Card.
• Any Fruit Card covered by a Deed Card must be "re-earned" or "redeemed".
• "Re-earning" a Fruit Card means that a player on that team must get another of that Fruit in their hand again and follow the instructions again to be able to play it on top of the covering Deed Card.
• "Redeeming" a Fruit Card happens when either the Self-Control Card is played by a player on this team, or the Love Card is played by an opposing player and used to remove all Deed Cards on this team's Fruit Tree.
3. Discard as many cards as the player desires.
• Deed cards can only be discarded if the Self-Control Card is showing on the team's Fruit Tree.

At the end of each turn, the player draws (from either pile) or discards cards as necessary to end the turn with 5 cards in his hand.

If inventory is available, orders from the SDG Biblical Wisdom shop typically ship within a couple of days.