The New Life

¹⁷ Now this I say and ^(A)testify in the Lord, ^(B)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, ^(C)in the futility of their minds. ¹⁸ They ^(D)are darkened in their understanding, ^(E)alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to ^(F)their hardness of heart. ¹⁹ They ^(G)have become callous and ^(H)have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. ²⁰ But that is not the way you ^(I)learned Christ!— ²¹ assuming that ^(J)you have heard about him and ^(K)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²² to ^(L)put off ^(M)your old self,^[a] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through ^(N)deceitful desires, ²³ and ^(O)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on ^(P)the new self, ^(Q)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵ Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you ^(R)speak the truth with his neighbor, for ^(S)we are members one of another. ^26 (T)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and ^(U)give no opportunity to the devil. ²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal, but rather ^(V)let him labor, ^(W)doing honest work with his own hands, so ^(X)that he may have something to share with anyone in need. ^29 (Y)Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give ^(Z)grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And ^(AA)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^(AB)by whom you were sealed for the day of ^(AC)redemption. ^31 (AD)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ^32 (AE)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ^(AF)forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. ^(A)Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love ^(B)serve one another. ¹⁴ For ^(C)the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ^(D)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you ^(E)bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Keep in Step with the Spirit

¹⁶ But I say, ^(F)walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify ^(G)the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For ^(H)the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, ^(I)to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ¹⁸ But if you are ^(J)led by the Spirit, ^(K)you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now ^(L)the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, ^(M)divisions, ²¹ envy,^[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that ^(N)those who do^[b] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But ^(O)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(P)love, joy, peace, patience, ^(Q)kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ^23 (R)gentleness, ^(S)self-control; ^(T)against such things there is no law. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus ^(U)have crucified the flesh with its ^(V)passions and desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, ^(W)let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ^26 (X)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.