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Doing Good to All

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit(A) should restore(B) that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.(C) If anyone thinks they are something(D) when they are not, they deceive themselves.(E) Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone,(F) without comparing themselves to someone else,(G) for each one should carry their own load.(H) Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.(I)

Do not be deceived:(J) God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.(K) Whoever sows to please their flesh,(L) from the flesh will reap destruction;(M) whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.(N) Let us not become weary in doing good,(O) for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.(P) 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good(Q) to all people, especially to those who belong to the family(R) of believers.

Not Circumcision but the New Creation

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!(S)

12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh(T) are trying to compel you to be circumcised.(U) The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted(V) for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,(W) yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.(X) 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,(Y) through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.(Z) 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;(AA) what counts is the new creation.(AB) 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to[b] the Israel of God.

17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks(AC) of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ(AD) be with your spirit,(AE) brothers and sisters. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 6:14 Or whom
  2. Galatians 6:16 Or rule and to

Bear and Share Burdens

Brethren, if a man is [a]overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of (A)gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. (B)Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill (C)the law of Christ. For (D)if anyone thinks himself to be something, when (E)he is nothing, he deceives himself. But (F)let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and (G)not in another. For (H)each one shall bear his own load.

Be Generous and Do Good

(I)Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for (J)whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap (K)everlasting life. And (L)let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap (M)if we do not lose heart. 10 (N)Therefore, as we have opportunity, (O)let us do good to all, (P)especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Glory Only in the Cross

11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 12 As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, (Q)only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the (R)cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by [b]whom the world has been crucified to me, and (S)I to the world. 15 For (T)in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Blessing and a Plea

16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 6:1 caught
  2. Galatians 6:14 Or which, the cross

We Harvest What We Plant

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer[a] is overcome by some sin, you who are godly[b] should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Paul’s Final Advice

11 Notice what large letters i use as i write these closing words in my own handwriting.

12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.

14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross,[c] my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.[d]

17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.

18 Dear brothers and sisters,[e] may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 6:1a Greek Brothers, if a man.
  2. 6:1b Greek spiritual.
  3. 6:14 Or Because of him.
  4. 6:16 Greek this principle, and upon the Israel of God.
  5. 6:18 Greek Brothers.

Help Each Other

Brothers and sisters, if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too. By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is important when he really is not, he is only fooling himself. Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done. Each person must be responsible for himself.

Anyone who is learning the teaching of God should share all the good things he has with his teacher.

Life Is like Planting a Field

Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant. If they plant to satisfy their sinful selves, their sinful selves will bring them ruin. But if they plant to please the Spirit, they will receive eternal life from the Spirit. We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up. 10 When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers.

Paul Ends His Letter

11 See what large letters I use to write this myself. 12 Some people are trying to force you to be circumcised so the Jews will accept them. They are afraid they will be attacked if they follow only the cross of Christ.[a] 13 Those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so they can brag about what they forced you to do. 14 I hope I will never brag about things like that. The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging. Through the cross of Jesus my world was crucified, and I died to the world. 15 It is not important if a man is circumcised or uncircumcised. The important thing is being the new people God has made. 16 Peace and mercy to those who follow this rule—and to all of God’s people.

17 So do not give me any more trouble. I have scars on my body that show[b] I belong to Christ Jesus.

18 My brothers and sisters, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 6:12 cross of Christ Paul uses the cross as a picture of the Good News, the story of Christ’s death and rising from the dead to pay for our sins. The cross, or Christ’s death, was God’s way to save us.
  2. 6:17 that show Many times Paul was beaten and whipped by people who were against him because he was teaching about Christ. The scars were from these beatings.

Bear One Another’s Burdens

My brothers and sisters, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill[a] the law of Christ.(A) For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves.(B) All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor’s work, will become a cause for pride.(C) For all must carry their own loads.

Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.(D)

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.(E) If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh, but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.(F) So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.(G) 10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all and especially for those of the family of faith.(H)

Final Admonitions and Benediction

11 See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.(I) 13 Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. 14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which[b] the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.(J) 15 For[c] neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything, but a new creation is everything!(K) 16 As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

17 From now on, let no one make trouble for me, for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body.(L)

18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 6.2 Other ancient authorities read in this way fulfill
  2. 6.14 Or through whom
  3. 6.15 Other ancient authorities add in Christ Jesus