Galatians 5:1-12

GOD’S WORD Translation

Live in the Freedom That Christ Gives You

5 Christ has freed us so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. Therefore, be firm ⌞in this freedom⌟, and don’t become slaves again.

² I, Paul, can guarantee that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. ³ Again, I insist that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised must realize that he obligates himself to do everything Moses’ Teachings demand. ⁴ Those of you who try to earn God’s approval by obeying his laws have been cut off from Christ. You have fallen out of God’s favor.^{[a] 5} However, in our spiritual nature, faith causes us to wait eagerly for the confidence that comes with God’s approval. ⁶ As far as our relationship to Christ Jesus is concerned, it doesn’t matter whether we are circumcised or not. But what matters is a faith that expresses itself through love.

⁷ You were doing so well. Who stopped you from being influenced by the truth? ⁸ The arguments of the person who is influencing you do not come from the one who is calling you. ⁹ A little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough. ¹⁰ The Lord gives me confidence that you will not disagree with this. However, the one who is confusing you will suffer God’s judgment regardless of who he is. ¹¹ Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching that circumcision is necessary, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the cross wouldn’t be offensive anymore. ¹² I wish those troublemakers would castrate themselves.