Galatians 5
1 Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
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 Listen, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
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 Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
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 You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.
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 For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.
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 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.
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 You were running well. Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?
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 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
[God], the one who chose you, is not the one who is persuading you to think like this!
9 A little yeast grows through the whole lump.
[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 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.
[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 But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.
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 I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off.
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 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.
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 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: "You are to love your neighbor as yourself."
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 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you do not consume one another.
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 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.
[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 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.
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 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
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 Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,
[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 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,
[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 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.
[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 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
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 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
We are gentle. We control our behavior. There is no law that says people should not [think and act in such ways].
24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
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 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Since [God’s] Spirit has caused us to [be spiritually] alive, we should [conduct our lives the way the] Spirit [directs us].
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.
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.
