Galatians 4:31–5:26

³¹Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman.^g

FREEDOM OF THE CHRISTIAN

5For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm^h, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.^{i 2}Take note! I, Paul, am telling you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. ³Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to do the entire law. ⁴You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.^{j 5}For we eagerly await^k through the Spirit, by faith, the hope^l of righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith^m working through love.ⁿ

⁷You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth?^{o 8}This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.^{p 9}A little leaven^A leavens the whole batch of dough. ¹⁰I myself am persuaded in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty.^{q 11}Now brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross^r has been abolished. ¹²I wish those who are disturbing you might also let themselves be mutilated!

¹³For you were called^s to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity^B for the flesh, but serve one another through love. ¹⁴For the whole law is fulfilled^t in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.^{Cu 15}But if you bite and devour^v one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

THE SPIRIT VERSUS THE FLESH

¹⁶I say, then, walk by the Spirit^w and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh desires^x what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.^{y 18}But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are obvious:^D sexual immorality,^z moral impurity,^aa promiscuity,^{ab 20}idolatry,^ac sorcery,^ad hatreds,^ae strife,^af jealousy,^ag outbursts of anger,^ah selfish ambitions,^ai dissensions,^aj factions,^{ak 21}envy,^Eal drunkenness, carousing,^am and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.^an

²²But the fruit of the Spirit^ao is love,^ap joy,^aq peace, patience,^ar kindness,^as goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness,^at and self-control.^au The law is not against such things.^{F 24}Now those who belong to Christ Jesus^av have crucified the flesh^aw with its passions and desires.^{ax 25}If we live^ay by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.^az