Galaten 5
1 Staat dan in de vrijheid, met welke ons Christus vrijgemaakt heeft, en wordt niet wederom met het juk der dienstbaarheid bevangen.
It is in order that we might live without (being obliged [to/having to]) [obey all the Jewish rituals] that Christ freed us [from God condemning us because of our disobeying those rituals]. So, firmly [reject the false teaching that someone must circumcise you, and] do not [live like] slaves again [MET] [by letting others force you to obey those rules and rituals again].
2 Ziet, ik Paulus zeg u, zo gij u laat besnijden, dat Christus u niet nut zal zijn.
Consider very carefully what I, Paul, [an apostle], now tell you: If, [to fulfill Jewish ritual laws], you are permitting yourself to be circumcised {someone to circumcise you}, what Christ [has done for you] will not benefit you at all.
3 En ik betuig wederom een iegelijk mens, die zich laat besnijden, dat hij een schuldenaar is de gehele wet te doen.
Instead, I solemnly declare again to every man who is circumcised {has someone circumcise him} [in order for God to accept him], that you must [perfectly] obey all of the laws [that God gave Moses, in order for God to save you].
4 Christus is u ijdel geworden, die door de wet gerechtvaardigd wilt worden; gij zijt van de genade vervallen.
Those of you who are sure that God will erase the record of your sins because you obey the laws [that God gave to Moses], you have separated yourselves from Christ. You have abandoned/rejected [God’s true method of saving you, which was] by kindly erasing the record of your sins, in a way that you did not deserve.
5 Want wij verwachten door den Geest, uit het geloof, de hoop der rechtvaardigheid.
But we who have a relationship with Christ and who trust in Christ are eagerly waiting to receive what God’s Spirit assures us that we can expect. We can expect to receive it because God has erased the record of our sins.
6 Want in Christus Jezus heeft noch besnijdenis enige kracht noch voorhuid, maar het geloof, door de liefde werkende.
As for us who have a relationship with Christ Jesus, God is not concerned whether we are circumcised or not circumcised. Instead, God is concerned about whether we trust [in] Christ, with the result that we love [other people].
7 Gij liept wel; wie heeft u verhinderd der waarheid niet gehoorzaam te zijn?
You were progressing well [spiritually] [MET]. You should not have let someone influence you so that [now you] are not believing the true [message about Christ] [RHQ]!
8 Dit gevoelen is niet uit Hem, Die u roept.
[God], the one who chose you, is not the one who is persuading you to think like this!
9 Een weinig zuurdesem verzuurt het gehele deeg.
[Remember that this false doctrine that someone is teaching you will affect all of you, just like] [MET] a little yeast causes all of the dough to swell up.
10 Ik vertrouw van u in den Heere, dat gij niet anders zult gevoelen; maar die u ontroert, zal het oordeel dragen, wie hij ook zij.
[Nevertheless], because of my relationship with the Lord, I am certain that you will think only as I do [about forcing people to obey rules and rituals]. Furthermore, [God] will punish anyone who is confusing you [by teaching this false message], even if he is an important person.
11 Maar ik, broeders! Indien ik nog de besnijdenis predik, waarom word ik nog vervolgd? Zo is dan de ergernis des kruises vernietigd.
But, my fellow believers, [although someone claims that I am proclaiming that men must be circumcised, I certainly am not still proclaiming that. Remember that the Jews are still] ([persecuting me/causing me to suffer]). If I were still proclaiming that men must be circumcised [in order for God to accept them], (the Jews would not be persecuting me./why would the Jews be persecuting me?) [RHQ] [They would] [RHQ] not be [persecuting me]/causing me to suffer [because] then [the Jews] would no longer be offended. [They] ([are offended/do not want to accept what I teach]) [because I proclaim that Christ, the Messiah, died on] the cross [MTY].
12 Och, of zij ook afgesneden werden, die u onrustig maken!
I [would even] wish that those who are disturbing you [by insisting that men be circumcised] would also emasculate [EUP] themselves, [with the result that they would be expelled from your congregations]!
13 Want gij zijt tot vrijheid geroepen, broeders, alleenlijk gebruikt de vrijheid niet tot een oorzaak voor het vlees; maar dient elkander door de liefde.
My fellow believers, [God] chose you in order that [you might live] without having to [obey rules and rituals]. But [do not assume that because] you are free [from having to obey rules and rituals], [God] permits you to [do whatever your] self-directed nature [desires]. Instead, constantly, as you love [each other], serve each other.
14 Want de gehele wet wordt in een woord vervuld, namelijk in dit: Gij zult uw naaste liefhebben, gelijk uzelven.
Keep in mind that we can sum up all of the laws [that God has] given us in one law, which is: “You must love each person you come in contact with, just like [you love] yourself.”
15 Maar indien gij elkander bijt en vereet, ziet toe, dat gij van elkander niet verteerd wordt.
Since you are attacking and injuring [MET] each other [by the things that you say] [MET], I warn you that [if you continue doing that], you will totally ruin each other [spiritually].
16 En ik zeg: Wandelt door den Geest en volbrengt de begeerlijkheden des vleses niet.
[So] I tell you this: Constantly let [God’s] Spirit direct you. [If you do that], you will certainly not do the things that your self-directed nature wants [you to do].
17 Want het vlees begeert tegen den Geest, en de Geest tegen het vlees; en deze staan tegen elkander, alzo dat gij niet doet, hetgeen gij wildet.
Your self-directed nature (opposes [God’s] Spirit/does not [want you to do what] God’s Spirit [wants you to do]), but also his Spirit opposes your self-directed nature. These two are always (fighting with/opposing) each other. The result is that you do not [constantly] do the [good] deeds that you truly desire [to do].
18 Maar indien gij door den Geest geleid wordt, zo zijt gij niet onder de wet.
But when you are led by God’s Spirit {when God’s Spirit directs you}, you [can do what pleases God], now that you are no longer obligated [to obey all] the laws [that God gave Moses].
19 De werken des vleses nu zijn openbaar; welke zijn overspel, hoererij, onreinigheid, ontuchtigheid,
[You already know] how [people think and] act [PRS] because of their self-directed nature. These are [some of the things that they do: People] are sexually immoral. [People] commit unnatural sexual acts. [People] act indecently.
20 Afgoderij, venijngeving, vijandschappen, twisten, afgunstigheden, toorn, gekijf, tweedracht, ketterijen,
[People] worship false gods [and] things [that] represent those gods. [People] perform (rituals in order that evil spirits might act for them/sorcery). [People] are hostile [to others. People] quarrel [with each other. People] are (jealous/resent other people’s status). [People] behave angrily. [People] try (to get others to think highly of them/to exalt themselves) and (do not consider what others want/act selfishly). People do not associate [with others. People] associate only with those who agree [with them].
21 Nijd, moord, dronkenschappen, brasserijen, en dergelijke; van dewelke ik u te voren zeg, gelijk ik ook te voren gezegd heb, dat die zulke dingen doen, het Koninkrijk Gods niet zullen beerven.
[People] want what others have. [People] get drunk. [People] (revel/participate in wild parties). And [people do other] things like these. I warn you [now], just like I warned [you previously], that the ones [who constantly] act [and think] like that will not receive [what] God [has for his own people when he begins] to rule over us.
22 Maar de vrucht des Geestes is liefde, blijdschap, vrede, lankmoedigheid, goedertierenheid, goedheid, geloof,
But [God’s] Spirit causes [us to do these things]: We love [others]. We are joyful. We are peaceful. We are patient. We are kind. We are good. We are [ones whom] others can trust.
23 zachtmoedigheid, matigheid. Tegen de zodanigen is de wet niet.
We are gentle. We control our behavior. There is no law that says people should not [think and act in such ways].
24 Maar die van Christus zijn, hebben het vlees gekruist met de bewegingen en begeerlijkheden.
Furthermore, we who belong to Christ Jesus have [stopped obeying] our self-directed nature and [stopped doing] all the evil things that we desire to do [MET]. [It is as though] [MET] we nailed them to the cross!
25 Indien wij door den Geest leven, zo laat ons ook door den Geest wandelen.
Since [God’s] Spirit has caused us to [be spiritually] alive, we should [conduct our lives the way the] Spirit [directs us].
26 Laat ons niet zijn zoekers van ijdele eer, elkander tergende, elkander benijdende.
We should not be saying how great we are. We should not be making ourselves more important than others. We should not envy each other.
