13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only (A)do not use liberty as an (B)opportunity for the flesh, but (C)through love serve one another.

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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.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.

16 (A)as free, yet not (B)using liberty as a cloak for [a]vice, but as bondservants of God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:16 wickedness

16 Live as free people,(A) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;(B) live as God’s slaves.(C)

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Serving All Men

19 For though I am (A)free from all men, (B)I have made myself a servant to all, (C)that I might win the more;

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Paul’s Use of His Freedom

19 Though I am free(A) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,(B) to win as many as possible.(C)

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But (A)beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become (B)a [a]stumbling block to those who are weak.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 8:9 cause of offense

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block(A) to the weak.(B)

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Bearing Others’ Burdens

15 We (A)then who are strong ought to bear with the [a]scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (B)Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to [b]edification.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 15:1 weaknesses
  2. Romans 15:2 building up

15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak(A) and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good,(B) to build them up.(C)

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14 For (A)all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: (B)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

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14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18

21 (A)submitting to one another in the fear of [a]God.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:21 NU Christ

Instructions for Christian Households(A)

21 Submit to one another(B) out of reverence for Christ.

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18 And (A)having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness [a]for holiness.

20 For when you were (B)slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 (C)What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For (D)the end of those things is death. 22 But now (E)having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit [b]to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 6:19 unto sanctification
  2. Romans 6:22 unto sanctification

18 You have been set free from sin(A) and have become slaves to righteousness.(B)

19 I am using an example from everyday life(C) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness(D) leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin,(E) you were free from the control of righteousness.(F) 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!(G) 22 But now that you have been set free from sin(H) and have become slaves of God,(I) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.(J)

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(A)Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill (B)the law of Christ.

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Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.(A)

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(A)to redeem those who were under the law, (B)that we might receive the adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God has sent forth (C)the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, [a]“Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, (D)and if a son, then an heir [b]of God [c]through Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:6 Lit., in Aram., Father
  2. Galatians 4:7 NU through God
  3. Galatians 4:7 NU omits through Christ

to redeem(A) those under the law, that we might receive adoption(B) to sonship.[a](C) Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son(D) into our hearts,(E) the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[b] Father.”(F) So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
  2. Galatians 4:6 Aramaic for Father

The Outworking of Love

16 (A)By this we know love, (B)because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But (C)whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

18 My little children, (D)let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we [a]know (E)that we are of the truth, and shall [b]assure our hearts before Him.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:19 NU shall know
  2. 1 John 3:19 persuade, set at rest

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.(A) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.(B) 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,(C) how can the love of God be in that person?(D) 18 Dear children,(E) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.(F)

19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:

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The Good News of Salvation

61 “The (A)Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord (B)has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me (C)to [a]heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim (D)liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:1 Lit. bind up

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

61 The Spirit(A) of the Sovereign Lord(B) is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed(C) me
    to proclaim good news(D) to the poor.(E)
He has sent me to bind up(F) the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom(G) for the captives(H)
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord [a]God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:4 NU omits God

For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about[a] long ago have secretly slipped in among you.(A) They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:4 Or individuals who were marked out for condemnation