Galatians 5

1 Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Christ set us free so we could have real freedom. So stand firm and don't get burdened down again by a yoke of slavery.

2 Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

Let me, Paul, tell you bluntly: if you rely on the way of circumcision, Christ will be of absolutely no benefit to you.

3 Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Let me repeat: every man who is circumcised has to keep the whole of the law.

4 You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.

Those of you who think you can be made right by the law are cut off from Christ—you have abandoned grace.

5 For we through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

For through the Spirit we trust and wait in hope to be made right.

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision amounts to anything, but faith working through love.

For in Christ Jesus being circumcised or uncircumcised doesn't achieve anything; it's only trust working through love that matters.

7 You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?

You were doing so well! Who got in the way and prevented you from being convinced by the truth?

8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

This “persuasion” certainly isn't from the one who calls you.

9 A little yeast grows through the whole lump.

You only need a little bit of yeast to raise the whole batch of dough.

10 I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

I'm confident in the Lord that you won't change the way you think, and that the one who is confusing you will face the consequences, whoever he is.

11 But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

As for me, brothers and sisters, if I were still advocating circumcision—why am I still persecuted? If that was true, it would remove the issue of the cross that offends people so much.

12 I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off.

If only those who are causing you trouble would go even further than circumcision and castrate themselves!

13 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to freedom! Just don't use your freedom as an excuse to indulge your sinful human nature—instead serve one another in love.

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

For the whole law is summed up in this one command, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.

But if you attack and tear into one other, watch out that you don't completely destroy yourselves!

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.

My advice is to walk by the Spirit. Don't satisfy the desires of your sinful human nature.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.

For the desires of the sinful nature are opposed to the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to the sinful nature. They fight one another, so you don't do what you want to do.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

But if the Spirit leads you, you're not under the law.

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,

It's clear what the sinful human nature produces: sexual immorality, indecency, sensuality,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, anger, selfish ambition, dissension, heresy,

21 envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.

envy, drunkenness, feasting, and similar things. As I warned you before so I warn you again: nobody who behaves like this will inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

But the Spirit produces fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trust,

23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

gentleness, self-control—and there's no law against these kinds of things!

24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the cross their sinful human nature, together with all their sinful passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.

If we live in the Spirit we should also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

Let's not become boastful, or irritate and envy one another.