5 ¹ Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again.

¹³ You 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. ¹⁴ All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.^{[a] 15} But if you bite and devour each other, be careful that you don’t get eaten up by each other!

Two different ways of living

¹⁶ I say be guided by the Spirit and you won’t carry out your selfish desires. ¹⁷ A 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. ¹⁸ But if you are being led by the Spirit, you aren’t under the Law.

Children of Abraham

³¹ Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

³³ They responded, “We are Abraham’s children; we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. How can you say that we will be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus answered, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵ A slave isn’t a permanent member of the household, but a son is. ³⁶ Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you really will be free. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s children, yet you want to kill me because you don’t welcome my teaching. ³⁸ I’m telling you what I’ve seen when I am with the Father, but you are doing what you’ve heard from your father.”

³⁹ They replied, “Our father is Abraham.”

Jesus responded, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do Abraham’s works. ⁴⁰ Instead, you want to kill me, though I am the one who has spoken the truth I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this. ⁴¹ You are doing your father’s works.”

They said, “Our ancestry isn’t in question! The only Father we have is God!”

⁴² Jesus replied, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God. Here I am. I haven’t come on my own. God sent me. ⁴³ Why don’t you understand what I’m saying? It’s because you can’t really hear my words. ⁴⁴ Your father is the devil. You are his children, and you want to do what your father wants. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has never stood for the truth, because there’s no truth in him. Whenever that liar speaks, he speaks according to his own nature, because he’s a liar and the father of liars. ⁴⁵ Because I speak the truth, you don’t believe me. ⁴⁶ Who among you can show I’m guilty of sin? Since I speak the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ God’s children listen to God’s words. You don’t listen to me because you aren’t God’s children.”