5 Christ has made us free so that we can be really free! So be strong and do not turn back. Do not let yourselves become slaves to the Jewish rules again.
2 Listen carefully! I, Paul, tell you this. If you agree that someone should circumcise you, then Christ will be worth nothing to you. 3 I will say it very clearly. Every man who lets someone circumcise him must then obey all the Jewish rules. 4 I say this to you people who try to obey the rules of God's Law. If you think that God will accept you as right because you do that, you have turned away from Christ. You no longer agree to accept God's kind gift. 5 But if we trust what Christ has done for us, God's Spirit helps us to wait. We are sure that God will accept us as right with him. 6 We belong to Christ Jesus. So it does not matter whether anyone has circumcised us or not. The only thing that matters is that we believe in Christ. As a result we will love others in the way that we live.
7 Like good runners, you were doing very well! You should not have let anyone turn you away from God's true message. 8 It is not God who has caused you to change what you believe. No! God is the one who has chosen you to serve him. 9 People say this: ‘Only a small amount of yeast in the flour will cause a loaf of bread to grow big.’ [ a ] 10 But I feel sure about you, because we belong to the Lord. I know that you will agree with what I say about this. But as for the man who is confusing you, God will punish him. It does not matter who he is, God will punish him.
11 My Christian friends, do you think that I still teach that someone must circumcise believers? If I really taught that, then I would not still receive trouble from people. What I teach about Christ's death on the cross would not cause anyone to become angry. 12 Those people who are causing trouble and want to circumcise you should cut their own bodies! Yes, that is what they should do!
13 My Christian friends, God has chosen you to serve him as free people. But you are still weak and human. So you are not free to do anything that you might want to do. Instead, you must serve one another, because you love each other. 14 One rule brings together all the rules in God's Law. That one rule says: ‘Love other people as much as you love yourself.’ [ b ] 15 So you must not live like wild animals. Wild animals fight and they eat each other. If you live like that, be very careful! You may destroy one another completely.
16 So this is what I say: Let God's Spirit show you how to live in a good way. Then you will not do the wrong things that you may want to do, as people who are weak and human. 17 The things that you want to do as a weak person are opposite to the things that God's Spirit wants. The things that God's Spirit wants are the opposite of what we want as weak people. Our own thoughts fight against what God's Spirit wants us to do. As a result, you are not free to do the things that you really want to do. 18 But if God's Spirit leads you, then the rules of God's Law have no authority over you.
19 Everyone knows the kinds of bad things that weak people want to do. They have sex with people that they are not married to. They do things that are bad and disgusting. 20 They worship idols. They do magic to hurt people. They become enemies and they fight one another. They are jealous of other people. They become very angry. They want to please themselves and to be important. They cause trouble. They make people belong to different groups. 21 They want things that belong to other people. They are drunks. They have wild parties. And they like to do many other bad things like those. So I warn you again, as I have already warned you before. People who continue to do any of those bad things will not receive good things from God. God has prepared those good things for the people who belong to his kingdom.
22 But God's Spirit causes us to live in a different way. We love other people. We are happy and we have peace in our minds. We are patient, kind and good. People can trust us to do what is right. 23 We respect other people and we rule ourselves properly. God's Spirit helps us to live in that way. There is no law that says these things are wrong.
24 We belong to Christ. As a result, we no longer obey our wrong human thoughts. We stop doing the bad things that our thoughts want us to do. It is like we have killed those thoughts on the cross. 25 Now it is God's Spirit that gives us life. So we must let God's Spirit lead us in how we live. 26 We must not become proud. We must not be jealous of each other, so that we cause trouble to one another.
5 We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong in that freedom. Don’t go back into slavery again. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you start following the law by being circumcised, then Christ cannot help you. 3 Again, I warn everyone: If you allow yourselves to be circumcised, then you must follow the whole law. 4 If you try to be made right with God through the law, your life with Christ is finished—you have left God’s grace. 5 I say this because our hope of being right with God comes through faith. And the Spirit helps us feel sure as we wait for that hope. 6 When someone belongs to Christ Jesus, it is not important if they are circumcised or not. The important thing is faith—the kind of faith that works through love.
7 You were doing so well. Who caused you to stop following the truth? 8 It certainly wasn’t the one who chose you. 9 Be careful! “Just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise.” [ a ] 10 I trust in the Lord that you will not believe those different ideas. Someone is trying to confuse you. Whoever it is will be punished.
11 My brothers and sisters, I don’t teach that a man must be circumcised. If I do teach circumcision, then why am I still being persecuted? If I still taught circumcision, then my message about the cross would not be a problem. 12 I wish those people who are bothering you would add castration [ b ] to their circumcision.
13 My brothers and sisters, God chose you to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful selves. Instead, serve each other with love. 14 The whole law is made complete in this one command: “Love your neighbor [ c ] the same as you love yourself.” [ d ] 15 If you continue hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other.
16 So I tell you, live the way the Spirit leads you. Then you will not do the evil things your sinful self wants. 17 The sinful self wants what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against the sinful self. They are always fighting against each other, so that you don’t do what you really want to do. 18 But if you let the Spirit lead you, you are not under law. [ e ]
19 The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: committing sexual sin, being morally bad, doing all kinds of shameful things, 20 worshiping false gods, taking part in witchcraft, hating people, causing trouble, being jealous, angry or selfish, causing people to argue and divide into separate groups, 21 being filled with envy, getting drunk, having wild parties, and doing other things like this. I warn you now as I warned you before: The people who do these things will not have a part in God’s kingdom. 22 But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their sinful self. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do. 25 We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit. 26 We must not feel proud and boast about ourselves. We must not cause trouble for each other or be jealous of each other.
5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
5 ( A ) It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore ( B ) keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a ( C ) yoke of slavery.
2 Look! I, ( D ) Paul, tell you that if you have yourselves ( E ) circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I ( F ) testify again to every man who has himself ( G ) circumcised, that he is obligated to ( H ) keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who [ a ] are seeking to be justified by the [ b ] Law; you have ( I ) fallen from grace. 5 For we, [ c ] through the Spirit, [ d ] by faith, are ( J ) waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in ( K ) Christ Jesus ( L ) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but ( M ) faith working through love.
7 You were ( N ) running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from ( O ) Him who calls you. 9 ( P ) A little [ e ] leaven leavens the whole lump of dough . 10 ( Q ) I have confidence [ f ] in you in the Lord, that you ( R ) will adopt no other view; but the one who is ( S ) disturbing you will bear the punishment, whoever he is. 11 But as for me, brothers and sisters , if I still preach circumcision, why am I still ( T ) persecuted? Then ( U ) the stumbling block of the cross has been eliminated. 12 I wish that ( V ) those who are troubling you would even [ g ] ( W ) emasculate themselves.
13 For you were called to ( X ) freedom, brothers and sisters ; ( Y ) only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but ( Z ) serve one another through love. 14 For ( AA ) the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement , “ ( AB ) You shall love your neighbor as yourself .” 15 But if you ( AC ) bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 But I say, ( AD ) walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out ( AE ) the desire of the flesh. 17 For ( AF ) the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, ( AG ) in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. 18 But if you are ( AH ) led by the Spirit, ( AI ) you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: ( AJ ) sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, ( AK ) witchcraft, hostilities, ( AL ) strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, ( AM ) selfish ambition, dissensions, ( AN ) factions, 21 envy, ( AO ) drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not ( AP ) inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But ( AQ ) the fruit of the Spirit is ( AR ) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, ( AS ) self-control; against such things ( AT ) there is no law. 24 Now those who [ h ] belong to ( AU ) Christ Jesus ( AV ) crucified the flesh with its passions and ( AW ) desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow ( AX ) the Spirit as well. 26 Let’s not become ( AY ) boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. ( A ) Stand firm, ( B ) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ( C )
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, ( D ) Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. ( E ) 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law ( F ) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. ( G ) 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. ( H ) 6 For in Christ Jesus ( I ) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. ( J ) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. ( K )
7 You were running a good race. ( L ) Who cut in on you ( M ) to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. ( N ) 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” ( O ) 10 I am confident ( P ) in the Lord that you will take no other view. ( Q ) The one who is throwing you into confusion, ( R ) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? ( S ) In that case the offense ( T ) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, ( U ) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. ( V ) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh [ a ] ; ( W ) rather, serve one another ( X ) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [ b ] ( Y ) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, ( Z ) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ( AA ) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. ( AB ) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever [ c ] you want. ( AC ) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, ( AD ) you are not under the law. ( AE )
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, ( AF ) impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. ( AG ) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. ( AH )
22 But the fruit ( AI ) of the Spirit is love, ( AJ ) joy, peace, ( AK ) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. ( AL ) Against such things there is no law. ( AM ) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh ( AN ) with its passions and desires. ( AO ) 25 Since we live by the Spirit, ( AP ) let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, ( AQ ) provoking and envying each other.
