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Freedom in Christ

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.

But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.

You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.

11 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. 12 I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 5:11 Greek Brothers; similarly in 5:13.
  2. 5:12 Or castrate themselves, or cut themselves off from you; Greek reads cut themselves off.

Live in the Freedom that the Messiah Provides

The Messiah[a] has set us free so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom.[b] So keep on standing firm in it, and stop putting yourselves under the yoke of slavery again. Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, the Messiah[c] will be of no benefit to you. Again, I insist[d] that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire Law. Those of you who are trying to be justified by the Law have been cut off from the Messiah.[e] You have fallen away from grace.

Through the Spirit by faith we confidently await the fulfillment of our righteous hope, for in union with the Messiah[f] Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. What matters is faith[g] expressed through love.

You were running the race beautifully. Who cut in on you and stopped you from obeying the truth? Such influence does not come from the one who calls you. A little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough. 10 I am confident[h] in the Lord that you will take no other view of this. However, the one who is troubling you will suffer God’s[i] judgment, whoever he is. 11 As for me, brothers, if I am still preaching the necessity of[j] circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish that those who are upsetting you would castrate themselves!

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:1 Or Christ
  2. Galatians 5:1 Lit. has set us free for freedom
  3. Galatians 5:2 Or Christ
  4. Galatians 5:3 Or testify
  5. Galatians 5:4 Or Christ
  6. Galatians 5:6 Or Christ
  7. Galatians 5:6 Lit. But faith
  8. Galatians 5:10 Lit. confident about you
  9. Galatians 5:10 The Gk. lacks God’s
  10. Galatians 5:11 The Gk lacks the necessity of

Freedom in Christ

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.(A) Stand firm,(B) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.(C)

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,(D) Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.(E) You who are trying to be justified by the law(F) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.(G) For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.(H) For in Christ Jesus(I) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.(J) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.(K)

You were running a good race.(L) Who cut in on you(M) to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(N) “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”(O) 10 I am confident(P) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(Q) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(R) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?(S) In that case the offense(T) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,(U) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

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