Galatians 5

Freedom in Christ

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.^a Stand firm,^b then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.^c

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,^d Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.^e You who are trying to be justified by the law^f have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.^g But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.^h For in Christ Jesusⁱ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.^j The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.^k

You were running a good race.^l Who cut in on you^m to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.ⁿ “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”^o I am confident^p in the Lord that you will take no other view.^q The one who is throwing you into confusion^r will have to pay the penalty, whoever that may be. Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?^s In that case the offense^t of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators,^u I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.^a But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature;^b rather, serve one another^c humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^d If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

So I say, walk by the Spirit,^e and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.^f For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.^g They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.^h But if you are led by the Spirit,ⁱ you are not under the law.^j

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality,^k impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.^l I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.^m

But the fruitⁿ of the Spirit is love,^o joy, peace,^p patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.^q Against such things there is no law.^r Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature^s with its passions and desires.^t Since we live by the Spirit,^u let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited,^v provoking and envying each other.