Galatians 5
1For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
The Nature of Christian Freedom
2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,
Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3Once again
I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to
obey the entire law. 4You who want to be
justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen
away from grace. 5For through the Spirit, by
faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6For
in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything;
the only thing that counts is faith workinga through love.
7 You were running well; who prevented you from obeying
the truth? 8Such persuasion does not come from
the one who calls you. 9A little yeast leavens
the whole batch of dough. 10I am confident about
you in the Lord that you will not think otherwise. But whoever it is that is
confusing you will pay the penalty. 11But my
friends,b why am I still being persecuted if I am still
preaching circumcision? In that case the offense of the cross has been
removed. 12I wish those who unsettle you would
castrate themselves!
13 For you were called to
freedom, brothers and sisters;c only do not use your
freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,d but
through love become slaves to one another. 14For
the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself." 15If, however, you bite
and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
The Works of the Flesh
16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21envy,e drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The Fruit of the Spirit
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.