Live in Freedom and Love One Another

¹ For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

² Look! I, Paul, tell you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing!

³ And again I testify to every man who becomes circumcised, that he is under obligation to keep the whole law.

⁴ You are estranged from Christ, you who are attempting to be justified¹ by the law; you have fallen from grace.

1. *The present tense has been translated as conative here (“are attempting”)

⁵ For through the Spirit by faith we eagerly await the hope of righteousness.

⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

⁸ This persuasion is not from the one who calls you!

⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough.

¹⁰ I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will think nothing different, but the one who is confusing you ⌞will pay the penalty⌟¹, whoever he may be.

1. Literally “will bear the = his condemnation”

¹¹ Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.

¹² I wish that the ones who are disturbing you would also ⌞castrate themselves⌟¹!

1. Literally “cut themselves off”

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”¹

1. A quotation from Lev 19:18

¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Live by the Spirit and Reject the Deeds of the Flesh

¹⁶ But I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never carry out the desire of the flesh.

¹⁷ For the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so that whatever you want, you may not do these things.

¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are sexual immorality, impurity, licentiousness,

²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, factions,

²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, things which I am telling you in advance, just as I said before, that the ones who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

²³ gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law.

²⁴ Now those ⌞who belong to Christ⌟¹² have crucified the flesh together with its feelings and its desires.

1. Literally “of Christ”
2. Some manuscripts have “Christ Jesus”

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit.

²⁶ We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.