Galatians 5

1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not again be put under the control of a yoke of slavery.

Stand firm therefore in the freedom with which Christ has made us free, and do not be burdened again with a yoke of slavery.

2 Look, I, Paul, say to you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will not benefit you in any way.

Listen! I, Paul, say to you that if you get circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

3 I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.

Further, I testify again to every man who gets circumcised that he is obligated to keep the whole law.

4 You are cut off from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you no longer experience grace.

You who are ‘being justified’ by law have been alienated from the Christ; you have fallen away from the grace.

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

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

6 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but only faith working through love.

Because in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

7 You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth?

You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?

8 This persuasion does not come from him who calls you!

This persuasion is not from Him who calls you.

9 A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise.

A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough.

10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will pay the penalty, whoever he is.

I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will not think differently; but he who troubles you will bear the penalty, whoever he may be.

11 Brothers, if I still proclaim circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that event the offense of the cross would have been removed.

12 As for those who are disturbing you, I wish they would castrate themselves!

I do wish that those who are upsetting you would just remove themselves!

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. But do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the sinful nature; rather, through love serve one another.

Now you, brothers, have been called to freedom; only do not use that freedom as an opening for the flesh, but slave for one another through love.

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one command: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, namely: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

But if you bite and tear at each other, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

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

I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17 For the desires of the sinful nature are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the sinful nature. For these are in conflict with each other, so that you cannot do the things you want.

Because the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh; they oppose each other; it follows that you may not do the things that you wish.

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

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

19 Now the works of the sinful nature are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity,

Now the works of the flesh are obvious, namely: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, rivalry, dissension, divisions,

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, fits of anger, selfish ambition, dissentions, factions,

21 envy, drunkenness, drunken celebrations, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

envyings, murders, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like; about which I am warning you beforehand, as, in fact, I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

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

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

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

gentleness, self-control—against such things there is no law.

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Further, those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

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

Since we live by the Spirit, let us also conform to the Spirit.

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

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