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He labours to draw them away from circumcision. He shows them the battle between the Spirit and the flesh, and the fruits of them both.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty whereby Christ has made us free, and do not wrap yourselves again in a yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing at all. I testify again to every man who gets circumcised that he is bound to keep the whole law. You are gone quite from Christ, as many of you as would be justified by the law, and are fallen from grace. We look for and hope in the Spirit to be justified through faith. For in Jesus Christ neither is circumcision worth anything, nor yet uncircumcision, but faith, which by love is mighty in operation.

You were running well. Who got in your way, that you should not follow the truth? This counsel is not of him who called you. A little leaven does leaven the whole lump of dough.

10 I am confident of you in the Lord, that you will not be otherwise minded. He who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 Brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I then yet suffer persecution? For then the offence that the cross gives is put away. 12 I would to God they were separated from you, those who trouble you.

13 Brethren, you were called into liberty – only let not your liberty be an occasion for the flesh, but in love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, which is this: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. 15 If you bite and devour one another, take heed lest you be consumed by one another.

16 I say then, walk in the Spirit, and do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit resists the flesh. These are contrary one to the other, so that you cannot do that which you would. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, then are you not under the law.

19 The deeds of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, dissension, ambition, anger, rivalry, factious uprisings, sects, 21 envying, murder, drunkenness, gluttony, and suchlike – of which I warn you, as I have told you in time past, that people who commit such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law.

24 Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the appetites and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be vainglorious, provoking one another and envying one another.

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) For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.(H) For in Christ Jesus(I) 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) 10 I am confident(P) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(Q) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(R) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 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. 12 As for those agitators,(U) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.(V) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a];(W) rather, serve one another(X) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](Y) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,(Z) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.(AA) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.(AB) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want.(AC) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,(AD) you are not under the law.(AE)

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,(AF) impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.(AG) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.(AH)

22 But the fruit(AI) of the Spirit is love,(AJ) joy, peace,(AK) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.(AL) Against such things there is no law.(AM) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh(AN) with its passions and desires.(AO) 25 Since we live by the Spirit,(AP) let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,(AQ) provoking and envying each other.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.
  2. Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18
  3. Galatians 5:17 Or you do not do what