Freedom of the Christian

For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm,(A) then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.(B) Take note! I, Paul, am telling you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to do the entire law. You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.(C) For we eagerly await(D) through the Spirit, by faith, the hope(E) of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith(F) working through love.(G)

You were running well. Who prevented you from being persuaded regarding the truth?[a](H) This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(I) 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!

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Footnotes

  1. 5:7 Or obeying the truth
  2. 5:9 Or yeast

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.