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)

⁷ You were running well. Who prevented you from being persuaded regarding the truth?^{[a](H) 8} This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.^{(I) 9} A little leaven^[b] leavens the whole batch of dough. ¹⁰ I myself am persuaded in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty.^{(J) 11} Now brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross^(K) has been abolished. ¹² I wish those who are disturbing you might also let themselves be mutilated!

¹³ For you were called^(L) to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity^[c] for the flesh, but serve one another through love. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled^(M) in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.^{[d](N) 15} But if you bite and devour^(O) one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

The Spirit versus the Flesh

¹⁶ I say, then, walk by the Spirit^(P) and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires^(Q) what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.^{(R) 18} But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious:^[e] sexual immorality,^(S) moral impurity,^(T) promiscuity,^{(U) 20} idolatry,^(V) sorcery,^(W) hatreds,^(X) strife,^(Y) jealousy,^(Z) outbursts of anger,^(AA) selfish ambitions,^(AB) dissensions,^(AC) factions,^{(AD) 21} envy,^[f](AE) drunkenness, carousing,^(AF) and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.^(AG)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit^(AH) is love,^(AI) joy,^(AJ) peace, patience,^(AK) kindness,^(AL) goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness,^(AM) and self-control.^(AN) The law is not against such things.^{[g] 24} Now those who belong to Christ Jesus^(AO) have crucified the flesh^(AP) with its passions and desires.^{(AQ) 25} If we live^(AR) by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.^(AS)

The Parable of the Sower

4 Again^(A) he began to teach^(B) by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore. ² He taught them many things in parables,^(C) and in his teaching^(D) he said to them, ³ “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.^{(E) 4} As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,^(F) and the birds came and devoured^(G) it. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly,^(H) since the soil wasn’t deep. ⁶ When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.^{(I) 7} Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased^(J) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.”^{(K) 9} Then he said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”^(L)

Why Jesus Used Parables

¹⁰ When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve^(M) asked him about the parables.^{(N) 11} He answered them, “The secret^(O) of the kingdom of God^(P) has been given to you, but to those outside,^(Q) everything comes in parables ¹² so that

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹³ Then^(T) he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable?^(U) How then will you understand all of the parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows^(V) the word.^{(W) 15} Some are like the word sown on the path.^(X) When they hear, immediately Satan^(Y) comes and takes away the word^(Z) sown in them.^{[c] 16} And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.^{(AA) 17} But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress^(AB) or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.^{(AC) 18} Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ but the worries^(AD) of this age,^(AE) the deceitfulness^[d](AF) of wealth,^(AG) and the desires^(AH) for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.^{(AI) 20} And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word,^(AJ) welcome it, and produce fruit^(AK) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”

Using Your Light

²¹ He^(AL) also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?^(AM) Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?^{(AN) 22} For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed,^(AO) and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”^{(AP) 24} And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure^(AQ) you use,^(AR) it will be measured to you—and more will be added^(AS) to you. ²⁵ For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”^(AT)

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ “The kingdom of God^(AU) is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ He sleeps^(AV) and rises^(AW) night^(AX) and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. ²⁸ The soil produces a crop^(AY) by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain^(AZ) on the head. ²⁹ As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,^(BA) because the harvest^(BB) has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ And^(BC) he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God,^(BD) or what parable^(BE) can we use to describe it? ³¹ It’s like a mustard seed^(BF) that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. ³² And when sown,^(BG) it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants,^(BH) and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky^(BI) can nest in its shade.”

Using Parables

³³ He was speaking the word^(BJ) to them with many parables^(BK) like these, as they were able to understand.^{(BL) 34} He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.^(BM)

Wind and Waves Obey Jesus

³⁵ On^(BN) that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” ³⁶ So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. ³⁷ A great windstorm^(BO) arose, and the waves^(BP) were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. ³⁸ He was in the stern, sleeping^(BQ) on the cushion. So they woke him up^(BR) and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” ^(BS)

³⁹ He got up, rebuked^(BT) the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!^(BU) Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid?^(BV) Do you still have no faith?”

⁴¹ And they were terrified^[e](BW) and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey^(BX) him!” ^(BY)