Galatas 5
1 state et nolite iterum iugo servitutis contineri
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 ecce ego Paulus dico vobis quoniam si circumcidamini Christus vobis nihil proderit
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 testificor autem rursum omni homini circumcidenti se quoniam debitor est universae legis faciendae
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 evacuati estis a Christo qui in lege iustificamini a gratia excidistis
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 nos enim spiritu ex fide spem iustitiae expectamus
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 nam in Christo Iesu neque circumcisio aliquid valet neque praeputium sed fides quae per caritatem operatur
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 currebatis bene quis vos inpedivit veritati non oboedire
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 persuasio non est ex eo qui vocat vos
[God], the one who chose you, is not the one who is persuading you to think like this!
9 modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpit
[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 ego confido in vobis in Domino quod nihil aliud sapietis qui autem conturbat vos portabit iudicium quicumque est ille
[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 ego autem fratres si circumcisionem adhuc praedico quid adhuc persecutionem patior ergo evacuatum est scandalum crucis
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 utinam et abscidantur qui vos conturbant
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 vos enim in libertatem vocati estis fratres tantum ne libertatem in occasionem detis carnis sed per caritatem servite invicem
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 omnis enim lex in uno sermone impletur diliges proximum tuum sicut te ipsum
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 quod si invicem mordetis et comeditis videte ne ab invicem consumamini
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 dico autem spiritu ambulate et desiderium carnis non perficietis
[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 caro enim concupiscit adversus spiritum spiritus autem adversus carnem haec enim invicem adversantur ut non quaecumque vultis illa faciatis
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 quod si spiritu ducimini non estis sub lege
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 manifesta autem sunt opera carnis quae sunt fornicatio inmunditia luxuria
[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 idolorum servitus veneficia inimicitiae contentiones aemulationes irae rixae dissensiones sectae
[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 invidiae homicidia ebrietates comesationes et his similia quae praedico vobis sicut praedixi quoniam qui talia agunt regnum Dei non consequentur
[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 fructus autem Spiritus est caritas gaudium pax longanimitas bonitas benignitas
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 fides modestia continentia adversus huiusmodi non est lex
We are gentle. We control our behavior. There is no law that says people should not [think and act in such ways].
24 qui autem sunt Christi carnem crucifixerunt cum vitiis et concupiscentiis
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 si vivimus spiritu spiritu et ambulemus
Since [God’s] Spirit has caused us to [be spiritually] alive, we should [conduct our lives the way the] Spirit [directs us].
26 non efficiamur inanis gloriae cupidi invicem provocantes invicem invidentes
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.
