Galatians 5

1 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.

Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

2 Let me, Paul, tell you bluntly: if you rely on the way of circumcision, Christ will be of absolutely no benefit to you.

Listen, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

3 Let me repeat: every man who is circumcised has to keep the whole of the law.

Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

4 Those of you who think you can be made right by the law are cut off from Christ—you have abandoned grace.

You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.

5 For through the Spirit we trust and wait in hope to be made right.

For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

6 For in Christ Jesus being circumcised or uncircumcised doesn't achieve anything; it's only trust working through love that matters.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

7 You were doing so well! Who got in the way and prevented you from being convinced by the truth?

You were running well. Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?

8 This “persuasion” certainly isn't from the one who calls you.

This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

9 You only need a little bit of yeast to raise the whole batch of dough.

A little yeast grows through the whole lump.

10 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.

I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

11 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.

But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

12 If only those who are causing you trouble would go even further than circumcision and castrate themselves!

I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off.

13 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.

For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only do not use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

14 For the whole law is summed up in this one command, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: "You are to love your neighbor as yourself."

15 But if you attack and tear into one other, watch out that you don't completely destroy yourselves!

But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you do not consume one another.

16 My advice is to walk by the Spirit. Don't satisfy the desires of your sinful human nature.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.

17 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.

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.

18 But if the Spirit leads you, you're not under the law.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 It's clear what the sinful human nature produces: sexual immorality, indecency, sensuality,

Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, anger, selfish ambition, dissension, heresy,

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

21 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.

envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the Spirit produces fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trust,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control—and there's no law against these kinds of things!

gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the cross their sinful human nature, together with all their sinful passions and desires.

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit we should also walk in the Spirit.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

26 Let's not become boastful, or irritate and envy one another.

Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.