Galatians 5
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
5 1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
The Nature of Christian Freedom
2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. 4 You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working[a] through love.
7 You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth? 8 Such persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. 10 I am confident about you in the Lord that you will not think otherwise. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. 11 But my friends,[b] why am I still being persecuted if I am still preaching circumcision? In that case the offence of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves!
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;[c] only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,[d] but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
The Works of the Flesh
16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy,[e] drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The Fruit of the Spirit
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.
Footnotes
- Galatians 5:6 Or made effective
- Galatians 5:11 Gk brothers
- Galatians 5:13 Gk brothers
- Galatians 5:13 Gk the flesh
- Galatians 5:21 Other ancient authorities add murder
Galatians 5
New American Standard Bible
Follow the Spirit
5 (A)It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore (B)keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a (C)yoke of slavery.
2 Look! I, (D)Paul, tell you that if you have yourselves (E)circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I (F)testify again to every man who has himself (G)circumcised, that he is obligated to (H)keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who [a]are seeking to be justified by the [b]Law; you have (I)fallen from grace. 5 For we, [c]through the Spirit, [d]by faith, are (J)waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in (K)Christ Jesus (L)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but (M)faith working through love.
7 You were (N)running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from (O)Him who calls you. 9 (P)A little [e]leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 (Q)I have confidence [f]in you in the Lord, that you (R)will adopt no other view; but the one who is (S)disturbing you will bear the punishment, whoever he is. 11 But as for me, brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still (T)persecuted? Then (U)the stumbling block of the cross has been eliminated. 12 I wish that (V)those who are troubling you would even [g](W)emasculate themselves.
13 For you were called to (X)freedom, brothers and sisters; (Y)only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but (Z)serve one another through love. 14 For (AA)the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “(AB)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you (AC)bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 But I say, (AD)walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out (AE)the desire of the flesh. 17 For (AF)the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, (AG)in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. 18 But if you are (AH)led by the Spirit, (AI)you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: (AJ)sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, (AK)witchcraft, hostilities, (AL)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, (AM)selfish ambition, dissensions, (AN)factions, 21 envy, (AO)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not (AP)inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But (AQ)the fruit of the Spirit is (AR)love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, (AS)self-control; against such things (AT)there is no law. 24 Now those who [h]belong to (AU)Christ Jesus (AV)crucified the flesh with its passions and (AW)desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow (AX)the Spirit as well. 26 Let’s not become (AY)boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Footnotes
- Galatians 5:4 Or would be
- Galatians 5:4 Or law
- Galatians 5:5 Lit by
- Galatians 5:5 Lit out of
- Galatians 5:9 I.e., fermented dough
- Galatians 5:10 Lit toward
- Galatians 5:12 Or cut themselves off
- Galatians 5:24 Lit are of Christ Jesus
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
