Follow the Lord’s Commands

¹⁶ The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.^{(A) 17} You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him.^{(B) 18} And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession^(C) as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. ¹⁹ He has declared that he will set you in praise,^(D) fame and honor high above all the nations^(E) he has made and that you will be a people holy^(F) to the Lord your God, as he promised.

Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.^(A) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a];^(B) rather, serve one another^(C) humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[b](D)

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit,^(A) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.^{(B) 17} For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.^(C) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever^[a] you want.^{(D) 18} But if you are led by the Spirit,^(E) you are not under the law.^(F)

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,^(G) impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.^(H) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.^(I)

²² But the fruit^(J) of the Spirit is love,^(K) joy, peace,^(L) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.^(M) Against such things there is no law.^{(N) 24} Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh^(O) with its passions and desires.^{(P) 25} Since we live by the Spirit,^(Q) let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited,^(R) provoking and envying each other.