Galatians 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

9 A little yeast corrupts the whole of the dough.

A little hametz grows through the whole lump.

10 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.

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, 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!

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

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

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

13 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.

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

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

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

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

16 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.

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

17 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.

For the flesh lusts against the Ruach, and the Ruach 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 is leading you, you are not subject to Law.

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

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

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

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

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

21 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.

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

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

23 good faith, meekness, self-restraint.

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

24 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.

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

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

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

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

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