^6:1Brothers and sisters,¹ if a person² is discovered in some sin,³ you who are spiritual⁴ restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness.⁵ Pay close attention⁶ to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. ^6:2Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ^6:3For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ^6:4Let each one examine⁷ his own work. Then he can take pride⁸ in himself and not compare himself with⁹ someone else. ^6:5For each one will carry¹⁰ his own load.

^6:6Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches¹¹ it. ^6:7Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool.¹² For a person¹³ will reap what he sows, ^6:8because the person who sows to his own flesh¹⁴ will reap corruption¹⁵ from the flesh,¹⁶ but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. ^6:9So we must not grow weary¹⁷ in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.¹⁸^6:10So then,¹⁹ whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.²⁰

Final Instructions and Benediction

^6:11See what big letters I make as I write to you with my own hand!

^6:12Those who want to make a good showing in external matters²¹ are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do so²² only to avoid being persecuted²³ for the cross of Christ. ^6:13For those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh.²⁴^6:14But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which²⁵ the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ^6:15For²⁶ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for²⁷ anything; the only thing that matters is a new creation!²⁸^6:16And all who will behave²⁹ in accordance with this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on the Israel of God.³⁰

^6:17From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.³¹

^6:18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be³² with your spirit, brothers and sisters.³³ Amen.

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Footnotes

1 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
2 Here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.
3 Or “some transgression” (L&N 88.297).
4 Who are spiritual refers to people who are controlled and directed by God’s Spirit.
5 Or “with a gentle spirit” or “gently.”
6 Grk “taking careful notice.”
7 Or “determine the genuineness of.”
8 Grk “he will have a reason for boasting.”
9 Or “and not in regard to.” The idea of comparison is implied in the context.
10 Or perhaps, “each one must carry.” A number of modern translations treat βαστάσει (bastasei) as an imperatival future.
11 Or “instructs,” “imparts.”
12 Or “is not mocked,” “will not be ridiculed” (L&N 33.409). μυκτηρίζω has “of God οὐ μ. he is not to be mocked, treated contempt, perh. outwitted Gal 6:7.”
13 Here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.
14 σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as ς. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ … Gal 5:13, 24; … Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα … Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”
15 Or “destruction.”
16 See the note on the previous occurrence of the word “flesh” in this verse.
17 Or “not become discouraged,” “not lose heart” (L&N 25.288).
18 Or “if we do not become extremely weary,” “if we do not give out,” “if we do not faint from exhaustion” (L&N 23.79).
19 There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what Paul has been arguing.
20 Grk “to those who are members of the family of [the] faith.”
21 Grk “in the flesh.” L&N 88.236 translates the phrase “those who force you to be circumcised are those who wish to make a good showing in external matters.”
22 Grk “to be circumcised, only.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started with the words “They do so,” which were supplied to make a complete English sentence.
23 Grk “so that they will not be persecuted.” The indicative after ἵνα μή (hina mē) is unusual (though not unexampled elsewhere in the NT), making it the harder reading. The evidence is fairly evenly split between the indicative διώκονται (diōkontai; 𝔓46 A C F G K L P 0278 6 81 104 326 629 1175 1505 ) and the subjunctive διώκωνται (diōkōntai; א B D Ψ 33 365 1739 ), with a slight preference for the subjunctive. However, since scribes would tend to change the indicative to a subjunctive due to syntactical requirements, the internal evidence is decidedly on the side of the indicative, suggesting that it is original.
24 Or “boast about you in external matters,” “in the outward rite” (cf. v. 12).
25 Or perhaps, “through whom,” referring to the Lord Jesus Christ rather than the cross.
26 The phrase “in Christ Jesus” is found after “For” in some (א A C D F G 0278 1881 𝔐 lat bo), but lacking in 𝔓46 B Ψ 33 1175 1505 1739* and several fathers. The longer reading probably represents a harmonization to Gal 5:6.
27 Grk “is.”
28 Grk “but a new creation”; the words “the only thing that matters” have been supplied to reflect the implied contrast with the previous clause (see also Gal 5:6).
29 The same Greek verb, στοιχέω (stoicheō), occurs in Gal 5:25.
30 The word “and” (καί) can be interpreted in two ways: (1) It could be rendered as “also” which would indicate that two distinct groups are in view, namely “all who will behave in accordance with this rule” and “the Israel of God.” Or (2) it could be rendered “even,” which would indicate that “all who behave in accordance with this rule” are “the Israel of God.” In other words, in this latter view, “even” = “that is.”
31 Paul is probably referring to scars from wounds received in the service of Jesus, although the term στίγμα (stigma) may imply ownership and suggest these scars served as brands (L&N 8.55; 33.481; 90.84).
32 Or “is.” No verb is stated, but a wish (“be”) rather than a declarative statement (“is”) is most likely in a concluding greeting such as this.
33 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .