Galatians 5
1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
Christ set us free so we could have real freedom. So stand firm and don't get burdened down again by a yoke of slavery.
2 Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
Let me, Paul, tell you bluntly: if you rely on the way of circumcision, Christ will be of absolutely no benefit to you.
3 Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
Let me repeat: every man who is circumcised has to keep the whole of the law.
4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
Those of you who think you can be made right by the law are cut off from Christ—you have abandoned grace.
5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness.
For through the Spirit we trust and wait in hope to be made right.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
For in Christ Jesus being circumcised or uncircumcised doesn't achieve anything; it's only trust working through love that matters.
7 You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?
You were doing so well! Who got in the way and prevented you from being convinced by the truth?
8 Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you.
This “persuasion” certainly isn't from the one who calls you.
9 A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.
You only need a little bit of yeast to raise the whole batch of dough.
10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.
I'm confident in the Lord that you won't change the way you think, and that the one who is confusing you will face the consequences, whoever he is.
11 Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
As for me, brothers and sisters, if I were still advocating circumcision—why am I still persecuted? If that was true, it would remove the issue of the cross that offends people so much.
12 As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!
If only those who are causing you trouble would go even further than circumcision and castrate themselves!
13 For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to freedom! Just don't use your freedom as an excuse to indulge your sinful human nature—instead serve one another in love.
14 The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
For the whole law is summed up in this one command, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
But if you attack and tear into one other, watch out that you don't completely destroy yourselves!
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
My advice is to walk by the Spirit. Don't satisfy the desires of your sinful human nature.
17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
For the desires of the sinful nature are opposed to the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to the sinful nature. They fight one another, so you don't do what you want to do.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
But if the Spirit leads you, you're not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
It's clear what the sinful human nature produces: sexual immorality, indecency, sensuality,
20 idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,
idolatry, sorcery, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, anger, selfish ambition, dissension, heresy,
21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
envy, drunkenness, feasting, and similar things. As I warned you before so I warn you again: nobody who behaves like this will inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
But the Spirit produces fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trust,
23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
gentleness, self-control—and there's no law against these kinds of things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the cross their sinful human nature, together with all their sinful passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit.
If we live in the Spirit we should also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.
Let's not become boastful, or irritate and envy one another.
