Galatians 5:1-15

New Testament for Everyone

Freedom in Christ

5 The Messiah set us free so that we could enjoy freedom! So stand firm, and don’t get yourselves tied down by the chains of slavery.

² Look here: I, Paul, am telling you that if you get circumcised, the Messiah will be of no use to you. ³ I testify once more, against every person who gets circumcised, that he is thereby under obligation to perform the entire law. ⁴ You are split off from the Messiah, you people who want to be justified by the law! You have dropped out of grace. ⁵ For we are waiting eagerly, by the spirit and by faith, for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in the Messiah, Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any power. What matters is faith, working through love.

Warnings against compromise

⁷ You were running well. Who got in your way and stopped you being persuaded by the truth? ⁸ This persuasion didn’t come from the one who called you! ⁹ A little leaven works its way through the whole lump. ¹⁰ I am persuaded in the Lord that you won’t differ from me on this. But the one who is troubling you will bear the blame, whoever he may be. ¹¹ As for me, my dear family, if I am still announcing circumcision, why are people still persecuting me? If I were, the scandal of the cross would have been neutralized. ¹² If only those who are making trouble for you would cut the whole lot off!

The law and the spirit

¹³ When God called you, my dear family, he called you to make you free. But you mustn’t use that freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, you must become each other’s servants, through love. ¹⁴ For the whole law is summed up in one word, namely this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite each other and devour each other, watch out! You may end up being destroyed by each other.