Follow the Spirit

(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.

Look! I, (D)Paul, tell you that if you have yourselves (E)circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I (F)testify again to every man who has himself (G)circumcised, that he is obligated to (H)keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who [a]are seeking to be justified by the [b]Law; you have (I)fallen from grace. For we, [c]through the Spirit, [d]by faith, are (J)waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in (K)Christ Jesus (L)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but (M)faith working through love.

You were (N)running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from (O)Him who calls you. (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.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:4 Or would be
  2. Galatians 5:4 Or law
  3. Galatians 5:5 Lit by
  4. Galatians 5:5 Lit out of
  5. Galatians 5:9 I.e., fermented dough
  6. Galatians 5:10 Lit toward
  7. Galatians 5:12 Or cut themselves off

Live in the Freedom that the Messiah Provides

The Messiah[a] has set us free so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom.[b] So keep on standing firm in it, and stop putting yourselves under the yoke of slavery again. Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, the Messiah[c] will be of no benefit to you. Again, I insist[d] that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire Law. Those of you who are trying to be justified by the Law have been cut off from the Messiah.[e] You have fallen away from grace.

Through the Spirit by faith we confidently await the fulfillment of our righteous hope, for in union with the Messiah[f] Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. What matters is faith[g] expressed through love.

You were running the race beautifully. Who cut in on you and stopped you from obeying the truth? Such influence does not come from the one who calls you. A little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough. 10 I am confident[h] in the Lord that you will take no other view of this. However, the one who is troubling you will suffer God’s[i] judgment, whoever he is. 11 As for me, brothers, if I am still preaching the necessity of[j] circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish that those who are upsetting you would castrate themselves!

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:1 Or Christ
  2. Galatians 5:1 Lit. has set us free for freedom
  3. Galatians 5:2 Or Christ
  4. Galatians 5:3 Or testify
  5. Galatians 5:4 Or Christ
  6. Galatians 5:6 Or Christ
  7. Galatians 5:6 Lit. But faith
  8. Galatians 5:10 Lit. confident about you
  9. Galatians 5:10 The Gk. lacks God’s
  10. Galatians 5:11 The Gk lacks the necessity of