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.

Christ having made us gloriously free--stand fast and do not again be hampered with the yoke of slavery.

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

Remember that it is I Paul who tell you that if you receive circumcision Christ will avail you nothing.

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

I once more protest to every man who receives circumcision that he is under obligation to obey the whole Law of Moses.

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

Christ has become nothing to any of you who are seeking acceptance with God through the Law: you have fallen away from grace.

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

We have not, for through the Spirit we wait with longing hope for an acceptance with God which is to come through faith.

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

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any importance; but only faith working through love.

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

You were running the race nobly! Who has interfered and caused you to swerve from the truth?

8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

No such teaching ever proceeded from Him who is calling you.

9 A little yeast grows through the whole lump.

A little yeast corrupts the whole of the dough.

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.

For my part I have strong confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt my view of the matter. But the man--be he who he may--who is troubling you, will have to bear the full weight of the judgement to be pronounced on him.

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

As for me, brethren, if I am still a preacher of circumcision, how is it that I am still suffering persecution? In that case the Cross has ceased to be a stumbling-block!

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

Would to God that those who are unsettling your faith would even mutilate themselves.

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.

You however, brethren, were called to freedom. Only do not turn your freedom into an excuse for giving way to your lower natures; but become bondservants to one another in a spirit of love.

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

For the entire Law has been obeyed when you have kept the single precept, which says, "You are to love your fellow man equally with yourself."

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

But if you are perpetually snarling and snapping at one another, beware lest you are destroyed by one another.

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

This then is what I mean. Let your lives be guided by the Spirit, and then you will certainly not indulge the cravings of your lower natures.

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.

For the cravings of the lower nature are opposed to those of the Spirit, and the cravings of the Spirit are opposed to those of the lower nature; because these are antagonistic to each other, so that you cannot do everything to which you are inclined.

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

But if the Spirit is leading you, you are not subject to Law.

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

Now you know full well the doings of our lower natures. Fornication, impurity, indecency, idol-worship, sorcery;

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

enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of passion, intrigues, dissensions, factions, envyings;

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.

hard drinking, riotous feasting, and the like. And as to these I forewarn you, as I have already forewarned you, that those who are guilty of such things will have no share in the Kingdom of God.

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

The Spirit, on the other hand, brings a harvest of love, joy, peace; patience towards others, kindness, benevolence;

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

good faith, meekness, self-restraint.

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

Against such things as these there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their lower nature with its passions and appetites.

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

If we are living by the Spirit's power, let our conduct also be governed by the Spirit's power.

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

Let us not become vain-glorious, challenging one another, envying one another.