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Galatians 4-6
Contemporary English Version
Galatians 4-6
Contemporary English Version
4 1 Children who are under age are no better off than slaves, even though everything their parents own will someday be theirs. 2 This is because children are placed in the care of guardians and teachers until the time their parents have set. 3 This is how it was with us. We were like children ruled by the powers of this world.
4 But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, 5 (A) so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God's children. 6 (B) Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. 7 You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, and you will be given what he has promised.
Paul's Concern for the Galatians
8 Before you knew God, you were slaves of gods that are not real. 9 But now you know God, or better still, God knows you. How can you turn back and become the slaves of those weak and pitiful powers?[a] 10 You even celebrate certain days, months, seasons, and years. 11 I am afraid I have wasted my time working with you.
12 My friends, I beg you to be like me, just as I once tried to be like you. Did you mistreat me 13 when I first preached to you? No you didn't, even though you knew I had come there because I was sick. 14 My illness must have caused you some trouble, but you didn't hate me or turn me away because of it. You welcomed me as though I were one of God's angels or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that good feeling now? I am sure if it had been possible, you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Am I now your enemy, just because I told you the truth?
17 Those people may be paying you a lot of attention, but it isn't for your good. They only want to keep you away from me, so you will pay them a lot of attention. 18 It is always good to give your attention to something worthwhile, even when I am not with you. 19 My children, I am in terrible pain until Christ may be seen living in you. 20 I wish I were with you now. Then I would not have to talk this way. You really have me puzzled.
Hagar and Sarah
21 Some of you would like to be under the rule of the Law of Moses. But do you know what the Law says? 22 (C) In the Scriptures we learn that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one of them was a slave, while the mother of the other one had always been free. 23 The son of the slave woman was born in the usual way. But the son of the free woman was born because of God's promise.
24 All of this has another meaning as well. Each of the two women stands for one of the agreements God made with his people. Hagar, the slave woman, stands for the agreement that was made at Mount Sinai. Everyone born into her family is a slave. 25 Hagar also stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia[b] and for the present city of Jerusalem. She[c] and her children are slaves.
26 (D) But our mother is the city of Jerusalem in heaven above, and she isn't a slave. 27 (E) The Scriptures say about her,
“You have never had children,
but now you can be glad.
You have never given birth,
but now you can shout.
Once you had no children,
but now you will have
more children than a woman
who has been married
for a long time.”
28 My friends, you were born because of this promise, just as Isaac was. 29 (F) But the child who was born in the natural way made trouble for the child who was born because of the Spirit. The same thing is happening today. 30 (G) The Scriptures say, “Get rid of the slave woman and her son! He won't be given anything. The son of the free woman will receive everything.” 31 My friends, we are children of the free woman and not of the slave.
Christ Gives Freedom
5 Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don't ever become slaves of the Law again.
2 I, Paul, promise you that Christ won't do you any good if you get circumcised. 3 If you do, you must obey the whole Law. 4 And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his gift of undeserved grace. 5 But the Spirit makes us sure God will accept us because of our faith in Christ. 6 If you are a follower of Christ Jesus, it makes no difference whether you are circumcised or not. All that matters is your faith that makes you love others.
7 You were doing so well until someone made you turn from the truth. 8 And that person was certainly not sent by the one who chose you. 9 (H) A little yeast can change a whole batch of dough, 10 but you belong to the Lord. This makes me certain you will do what I say, instead of what someone else tells you to do. Whoever is causing trouble for you will be punished.
11 My friends, if I still preach that people need to be circumcised, why am I in so much trouble? The message about the cross would no longer be a problem, if I told people to be circumcised. 12 I wish everyone who is upsetting you would not only get circumcised, but would cut off much more!
13 My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don't use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love. 14 (I) All the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself. 15 But if you keep attacking each other like wild animals, you had better watch out or you will destroy yourselves.
God's Spirit and Our Own Desires
16 If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires. 17 (J) The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should. 18 But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you.
19 People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. 20 They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are 21 envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom.
22 God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. 24 And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires. 25 God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit. 26 But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are.
Help Each Other
6 My friends, you are spiritual. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don't be tempted yourself. 2 You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.
3 If you think you are better than others, when you really aren't, you are wrong. 4 Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others. 5 We each must carry our own load.
6 Share every good thing you have with anyone who teaches you what God has said.
7 You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. 8 If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life. 9 Don't get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up. 10 We should help people whenever we can, especially if they are followers of the Lord.
Final Warnings
11 You can see what big letters I make when I write with my own hand.
12 Those people who are telling you to get circumcised are only trying to show how important they are. And they don't want to get into trouble for preaching about the cross of Christ. 13 They are circumcised, but they don't obey the Law of Moses. All they want is to brag about having you circumcised. 14 But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned.
15 It doesn't matter if you are circumcised or not. All that matters is that you are a new person.
16 If you follow this rule, you will belong to God's true people. God will treat you with undeserved kindness and will bless you with peace.
17 (K) On my own body are scars that prove I belong to Christ Jesus. So I don't want anyone to bother me anymore.
18 My friends, I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you! Amen.
Footnotes
- 4.9 powers: Spirits were thought to control human lives and were believed to be connected with the movements of the stars.
- 4.25 Hagar also stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia: Some manuscripts have “Sinai is a mountain in Arabia.” This sentence would then be translated: “Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, and Hagar stands for the present city of Jerusalem.”
- 4.25 She: “Hagar” or “Jerusalem.”
Galatians 4-6
New International Version
Galatians 4-6
New International Version
4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery(A) under the elemental spiritual forces[a] of the world.(B) 4 But when the set time had fully come,(C) God sent his Son,(D) born of a woman,(E) born under the law,(F) 5 to redeem(G) those under the law, that we might receive adoption(H) to sonship.[b](I) 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son(J) into our hearts,(K) the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.”(L) 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.(M)
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
8 Formerly, when you did not know God,(N) you were slaves(O) to those who by nature are not gods.(P) 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God(Q)—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[d]? Do you wish to be enslaved(R) by them all over again?(S) 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!(T) 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.(U)
12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters,(V) become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness(W) that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.(X) 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?(Y)
17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.(Z) 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.(AA) 19 My dear children,(AB) for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,(AC) 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Hagar and Sarah
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law,(AD) are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman(AE) and the other by the free woman.(AF) 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,(AG) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.(AH)
24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above(AI) is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”[e](AJ)
28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.(AK) 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh(AL) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.(AM) It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[f](AN) 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,(AO) but of the free woman.(AP)
Freedom in Christ
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.(AQ) Stand firm,(AR) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.(AS)
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,(AT) Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.(AU) 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law(AV) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.(AW) 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.(AX) 6 For in Christ Jesus(AY) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.(AZ) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.(BA)
7 You were running a good race.(BB) Who cut in on you(BC) to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(BD) 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”(BE) 10 I am confident(BF) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(BG) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(BH) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?(BI) In that case the offense(BJ) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,(BK) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Life by the Spirit
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.(BL) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[g];(BM) rather, serve one another(BN) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[h](BO) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,(BP) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.(BQ) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.(BR) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[i] you want.(BS) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,(BT) you are not under the law.(BU)
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,(BV) impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.(BW) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.(BX)
22 But the fruit(BY) of the Spirit is love,(BZ) joy, peace,(CA) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.(CB) Against such things there is no law.(CC) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh(CD) with its passions and desires.(CE) 25 Since we live by the Spirit,(CF) let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,(CG) provoking and envying each other.
Doing Good to All
6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit(CH) should restore(CI) that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.(CJ) 3 If anyone thinks they are something(CK) when they are not, they deceive themselves.(CL) 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone,(CM) without comparing themselves to someone else,(CN) 5 for each one should carry their own load.(CO) 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.(CP)
7 Do not be deceived:(CQ) God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.(CR) 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh,(CS) from the flesh will reap destruction;(CT) whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.(CU) 9 Let us not become weary in doing good,(CV) for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.(CW) 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good(CX) to all people, especially to those who belong to the family(CY) of believers.
Not Circumcision but the New Creation
11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!(CZ)
12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh(DA) are trying to compel you to be circumcised.(DB) The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted(DC) for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,(DD) yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.(DE) 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,(DF) through which[j] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.(DG) 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;(DH) what counts is the new creation.(DI) 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to[k] the Israel of God.
17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks(DJ) of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ(DK) be with your spirit,(DL) brothers and sisters. Amen.
Footnotes
- Galatians 4:3 Or under the basic principles
- Galatians 4:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
- Galatians 4:6 Aramaic for Father
- Galatians 4:9 Or principles
- Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
- Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10
- Galatians 5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.
- Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18
- Galatians 5:17 Or you do not do what
- Galatians 6:14 Or whom
- Galatians 6:16 Or rule and to
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