¹² Believers, I beg of you, become as I am [free from the bondage of Jewish ritualism and ordinances], for I have become as you are [a Gentile]. You did me no wrong [when I first came to you; do not do it now]. ¹³ On the contrary, you know that it was because of a physical illness that I [remained and] preached the gospel to you the first time; ¹⁴ and even though my physical condition was a trial to you, you did not regard it with contempt, or scorn and reject me; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus Himself. ¹⁵ What then has become of that sense of blessing and the joy that you once had [from your salvation and your relationship with Christ]? For I testify of you that, if possible, you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me [^[a]to replace mine]. ¹⁶ So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? ¹⁷ These men [the Judaizers] eagerly seek you [to entrap you with honeyed words and attention, to win you over to their philosophy], not honorably [for their purpose is not honorable or worthy of consideration]. They want to isolate you [from us who oppose them] so that you will seek them. ¹⁸ Now it is always pleasant to be eagerly sought after [provided that it is] for a good purpose, and not just when I am with you [seeking you myself—but beware of the others doing it]. ¹⁹ My little children, for whom I am again in [the pains of] labor until Christ is [completely and permanently] formed within you— ²⁰ how I wish that I were with you now and could change my tone, because I am perplexed in regard to you.

¹³ For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the ^[a]sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through ^[b]love serve and seek the best for one another. ¹⁴ For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].”^{(A) 15} But if you bite and devour one another [in bickering and strife], watch out that you [along with your entire fellowship] are not consumed by one another.

¹⁶ But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the ^[c]sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. ¹⁷ For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the ^[d]sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do. ¹⁸ But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.

²¹ being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Marriage Like Christ and the Church

²² Wives, be subject ^[a]to your own husbands, as [a service] to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church, Himself being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives should be subject to their husbands in everything [respecting both their position as protector and their responsibility to God as head of the house].

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], ²⁷ so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. ²⁸ Even so husbands should and are morally obligated to love their own wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own body, but [instead] he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members (parts) of His body. ³¹ For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined [and be faithfully devoted] to his wife, and the two shall become ^[b]one flesh.^{(A) 32} This mystery [of two becoming one] is great; but I am speaking with reference to [the relationship of] Christ and the church. ³³ However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].^(B)