Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
Live in the Freedom that the Messiah Provides
5 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. 2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, the Messiah[c] will be of no benefit to you. 3 Again, I insist[d] that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire Law. 4 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.
5 Through the Spirit by faith we confidently await the fulfillment of our righteous hope, 6 for in union with the Messiah[f] Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. What matters is faith[g] expressed through love.
7 You were running the race beautifully. Who cut in on you and stopped you from obeying the truth? 8 Such influence does not come from the one who calls you. 9 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!
13 For you, brothers, were called to freedom. Only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity to gratify your flesh, but through love make it your habit to serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is summarized in a single statement: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”[k] 15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you are not destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never fulfill the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh wants is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, and so you do not do what you want to do. 18 But if you are being led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
19 Now the actions of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, witchcraft,[l] hatred, rivalry, jealously, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions, 21 envy, murder,[m] drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that. I am telling you now, as I have told you in the past, that people who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,[n] 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 Now those who belong to the Messiah[o] Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also be guided. 26 Let’s stop being arrogant, provoking one another and envying one another.
Help Each Other
6 Brothers, if a person is caught doing something wrong, those of you who are spiritual should restore that person gently. Watch out for yourself so that you are not tempted as well. 2 Practice carrying each other’s burdens. In this way you will fulfill the law of the Messiah.[p] 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is really nothing, he is only fooling himself. 4 Each person must examine his own actions, and then he can boast about his own accomplishments and not about someone else. 5 For everyone must carry his own load.
6 The person who is taught the word should share all his goods with his teacher. 7 Stop being[q] deceived; God is not to be ridiculed. A person harvests whatever he plants: 8 The person who sows through human means will harvest decay from human means, but the person who sows in the Spirit will harvest eternal life from the Spirit. 9 Let’s not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest—if we do not give up. 10 So then, whenever we have the opportunity, let’s practice doing good to everyone, especially to the family of faith.
A Final Warning against Circumcision
11 Look at how large these letters are because I am writing with my own hand! 12 These people who want to impress others by their external appearance[r] are trying to force you to be circumcised, simply to avoid being persecuted for the cross of the Messiah.[s] 13 Why, not even those who are circumcised obey the Law! They simply want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your external appearance.[t] 14 But may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[u] by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world! 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. Rather, what matters is being[v] a new creation. 16 Now may peace be on all those who live by this principle, and may mercy be on the Israel of God. 17 Let no one make any more trouble for me, because I carry the scars of Jesus on my own body.
Final Greeting
18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[w] be with your spirit, brothers! Amen.
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