Freedom from the Law

¹¹ But when Cephas^[a] came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned.^{[b] 12} For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party. ¹³ Then the rest of the Jews^(A) joined his hypocrisy,^(B) so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas^[c] in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile^(C) and not like a Jew,^(D) how can you compel Gentiles to live^(E) like Jews?” ^[d]

¹⁵ We are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,” ¹⁶ and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law^(F) but by faith in Jesus Christ,^[e] even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ^[f] and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will^[g] be justified.

⁹ But now, since you know God,^(A) or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless^(B) elements?^(C) Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? ¹⁰ You are observing special days, months, seasons, and years.^{(D) 11} I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.

Freedom of the Christian

5 For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm,^(A) then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.^{(B) 2} Take note! I, Paul, am telling you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. ³ Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to do the entire law. ⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.^{(C) 5} For we eagerly await^(D) through the Spirit, by faith, the hope^(E) of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith^(F) working through love.^(G)

¹³ And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. ¹⁴ He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.^{(A) 15} He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.^[a](B)

¹⁶ Therefore, don’t let anyone judge^(C) you in regard to food and drink^(D) or in the matter of a festival or a new moon^(E) or a Sabbath day.^{[b] 17} These are a shadow^(F) of what was to come;^(G) the substance is^[c] Christ.^{(H) 18} Let no one condemn^[d] you^(I) by delighting in ascetic practices^(J) and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated^(K) by empty notions of their unspiritual^[e] mind. ¹⁹ They don’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body,^(L) nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God.

²⁰ If you died with Christ^(M) to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: ²¹ “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? ²² All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines.