Galatians 5
5
1Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again.
Arguments against being circumcised
2Look, I, Paul, am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, having Christ won’t help you. 3Again I swear to every man who has himself circumcised that he is required to do the whole Law. 4You people who are trying to be made righteous by the Law have been estranged from Christ. You have fallen away from grace! 5We eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness through the Spirit by faith. 6Being circumcised or not being circumcised doesn’t matter in Christ Jesus, but faith working through love does matter.
7You were running well—who stopped you from obeying the truth? 8This line of reasoning doesn’t come from the one who calls you. 9A little yeast works through the whole lump of dough. 10I’m convinced about you in the Lord that you won’t think any other way. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever that may be. 11Brothers and sisters, if I’m still preaching circumcision, why am I still being harassed? In that case, the offense of the cross would be canceled. 12I wish that the ones who are upsetting you would castrate themselves!
13You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. 14All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: “Love your neighbor as yourself”.#5.14 Lev 19:18 15But if you bite and devour each other, be careful that you don’t get eaten up by each other!
Two different ways of living
16I say be guided by the Spirit and you won’t carry out your selfish desires. 17A person’s selfish desires are set against the Spirit, and the Spirit is set against one’s selfish desires. They are opposed to each other, so you shouldn’t do whatever you want to do. 18But if you are being led by the Spirit, you aren’t under the Law. 19The actions that are produced by selfish motives are obvious, since they include sexual immorality, moral corruption, doing whatever feels good, 20idolatry, drug use and casting spells, hate, fighting, obsession, losing your temper, competitive opposition, conflict, selfishness, group rivalry, 21jealousy, drunkenness, partying, and other things like that. I warn you as I have already warned you, that those who do these kinds of things won’t inherit God’s kingdom.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against things like this. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the self with its passions and its desires.
25If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit. 26Let’s not become arrogant, make each other angry, or be jealous of each other.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Galatians 5
5
Guided by the Spirit and love
Christ gives freedom
1Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don't ever become slaves of the Law again.
2I, Paul, promise you that Christ won't do you any good if you get circumcised. 3If you do, you must obey the whole Law. 4And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his wonderful kindness. 5But the Spirit makes us sure that God will accept us because of our faith in Christ. 6If you are a follower of Christ Jesus, it makes no difference whether you are circumcised or not. All that matters is your faith that makes you love others.
7You were doing so well until someone made you turn from the truth. 8And that person was certainly not sent by the one who chose you. 9A little yeast can change a whole batch of dough,#1 Co 5.6. 10but you belong to the Lord. That makes me certain that you will do what I say, instead of what someone else tells you to do. Whoever is causing trouble for you will be punished.
11My friends, if I still preach that people need to be circumcised, why am I in so much trouble? The message about the cross would no longer be a problem, if I told people to be circumcised. 12I wish that everyone who is upsetting you would not only get circumcised, but would cut off much more!
13My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don't use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love. 14All that the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself.#Lv 19.18. 15But if you keep attacking each other like wild animals, you had better watch out or you will destroy yourselves.
God's Spirit and our own desires
16If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires. 17The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should.#Ro 7.15-23. 18But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you.
19People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. 20They worship idols, practise witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are 21envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: no one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom.
22God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. 24And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires. 25God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit. 26But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012