Galatians 5

Freedom of the Christian

5Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm ^gthen and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. ^h2Take note! I, Paul, tell 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 keep the entire law. ⁴You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace. ⁱ⁵For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait ^jfor the hope ^kof righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith ^lworking through love. ^m

⁷You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth? ⁿ⁸This persuasion did not come from the One who called you. ^o9A little yeast leavens the whole lump of dough. ¹⁰I have confidence in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. ^p11Now brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross ^qhas been abolished. ¹²I wish those who are disturbing you might also get themselves castrated!

¹³For you were called ^rto be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. ¹⁴For the entire law is fulfilled ^sin one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^tu15But if you bite and devour ^vone another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

The Spirit versus the Flesh

¹⁶I say then, walk by the Spirit ^wand you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh desires ^xwhat 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. ^y18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are obvious: ^zasexual immorality, ^bmoral impurity, ^cpromiscuity, ^d20idolatry, ^esorcery, ^fhatreds, ^gstrife, ^hjealousy, ⁱoutbursts of anger, ^jselfish ambitions, ^kdissensions, ^lfactions, ^m21envy, ^nodrunkenness, carousing, ^pand anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ^q

²²But the fruit of the Spirit ^ris love, ^sjoy, ^tpeace, patience, ^ukindness, ^vgoodness, faith, ^w23gentleness, ^xself-control. ^yAgainst such things there is no law. ²⁴Now those who belong to Christ Jesus ^zhave crucified the flesh ^awith its passions and desires. ^b25Since we live ^cby the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. ²⁶We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. ^d