Gal 5 | HCSB | STEP | Christ has liberated us to be free . Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery .

Galatians 5

Freedom of the Christian

1 Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm ^a then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. ^b 2 Take note! I, Paul, tell you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. 3 Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to keep the entire law. 4 You who are trying to be ^{▼▼justification/justify/justified: The act of God as judge that declares sinners (who were in the wrong) to be right or righteous in His sight. God is just in doing this because Jesus died on the cross to take away their sins and to give them His own righteousness (2Co 5:21). The sinner receives this justification by faith and by grace when he trusts Christ's work.}justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace. ^d 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait ^e for the hope ^f of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith ^g working through love. ^h

7 You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth? ⁱ 8 This persuasion did not come from the One who called you. ^j 9 A little yeast leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 I have confidence in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. ^k 11 Now ^{▼▼brother(s): The Greek word adelphoi can be used as a reference to males only or to groups that include males and females. It is the context of each usage that determines the proper meaning.}brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross ^m has been abolished. 12 I wish those who are disturbing you might also get themselves castrated!

13 For you were called ⁿ to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled ^o in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^{p
,} ^q 15 But if you bite and devour ^r one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

The Spirit versus the Flesh

16 I say then, ^{▼▼walk: A term often used in a figurative way to mean "way of life" or "behavior"}walk by the Spirit ^t and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires ^u what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. ^v 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: ^{▼▼Other mss add adultery
,} ^{▼▼Lit obvious, which are:} sexual immorality, ^y moral impurity, ^z promiscuity, ^aa 20 idolatry, ^ab sorcery, ^ac hatreds, ^ad strife, ^ae jealousy, ^af outbursts of anger, ^ag selfish ambitions, ^ah dissensions, ^ai factions, ^aj 21 envy, ^{▼▼Other mss add murders
,} ^al drunkenness, carousing, ^am and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance – as I told you before – that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ^an

22 But the fruit of the Spirit ^ao is love, ^ap joy, ^aq peace, patience, ^ar kindness, ^as goodness, faith, ^{▼▼Or faithfulness} 23 gentleness, ^au self-control. ^av Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus ^aw have crucified the flesh ^ax with its passions and desires. ^ay 25 Since we live ^az by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. 26 We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. ^ba