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Galatians 5:2-16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Galatians 5:2-16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
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 reckoned as righteous[a] by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.(A) 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.(B) 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working[b] through love.(C)
7 You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth?(D) 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.(E) 11 But my brothers and sisters, why am I still being persecuted if I am still preaching circumcision? In that case the offense 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, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,[c] but through love become enslaved to one another.(F) 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”(G) 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.(H)
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Galatians 5:2-16
New International Version
Galatians 5:2-16
New International Version
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,(A) 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.(B) 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law(C) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.(D) 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.(E) 6 For in Christ Jesus(F) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.(G) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.(H)
7 You were running a good race.(I) Who cut in on you(J) to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(K) 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”(L) 10 I am confident(M) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(N) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(O) 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?(P) In that case the offense(Q) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,(R) 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.(S) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a];(T) rather, serve one another(U) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](V) 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,(W) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.(X)
Footnotes
- 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
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.