Galatians 5

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage.

It is for freedom that Christ set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not again be held under the yoke of slavery.

2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

Understand that I, Paul, myself tell you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will avail you nothing.

3 And I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to the whole law.

I again declare to everyone who receives circumcision, that he binds himself to obey the whole Law.

4 Christ is become nothing to you, whosoever of you are seeking to be justified by the law: ye are fallen from the grace of the gospel.

You have severed yourselves from Christ – you who are seeking to be pronounced righteous through Law; you have fallen away from love.

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

For we, by the help of the Spirit, are eagerly waiting for the fulfilment of our hope – that we may be pronounced righteous as the result of faith.

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.

If we are in union with Christ Jesus, neither is circumcision nor the omission of it anything, but faith, working through love, is everything.

7 Ye did run well: who hindered you from obeying the truth?

You were once making good progress! Who has hindered you from obeying the truth?

8 This persuasion came not from him that called you: but a little leaven leaveneth the whole mass.

The persuasion brought to bear on you does not come from him who calls you.

9 I have confidence in you however through the Lord,

A little yeast leavens all the dough.

10 that ye will not think otherwise: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgement, whosoever he be.

I, through my union with the Lord, am persuaded that you will learn to think with me. But the man who is disturbing your minds will have to bear his punishment, whoever he may be.

11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted by the Jews? for then the offence of the cross is ceased.

If I, friends, am still proclaiming circumcision, why am I still persecuted? It seems that the cross has ceased to be an obstacle!

12 I wish they were even cut off from your communion, that make such disturbance amongst you.

I could even wish that the people who are unsettling you would go further still and mutilate themselves.

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only abuse not this liberty for an occasion to indulge the flesh, but by mutual love serve one another.

Remember, friends, to you the call came to give you freedom. Only, do not make your freedom an opportunity for self-indulgence but serve one another in a loving spirit.

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one precept, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Indeed, the whole Law has been summed up in this one precept – “You must love your neighbour as you love yourself.”

15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not destroyed by one another.

But, if you are continually wounding and preying on one another, take care that you are not destroyed by one another.

16 I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye will not fulfil the desire of the flesh:

This is what I have to say – Let your steps be guided by the Spirit, and then you will never gratify the cravings of your earthly nature.

17 for the flesh desireth things contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit things contrary to the flesh: and these are opposite to each other; so that ye do not those things which ye would.

For these cravings of our earthly nature conflict with the Spirit, and the Spirit with our earthly nature – they are two contrary principles – so that you cannot do what you wish.

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

But, if you follow the guidance of the Spirit, you are not subject to Law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, such as, adultery, fornication, uncleanness,

The sins of our earthly nature are unmistakable. They are sins like these – sexual immorality, impurity, indecency,

20 lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, enmities, strifes, emulations, animosities, contentions, divisions,

idolatry, sorcery, quarrels, strife, jealousy, outbursts of passion, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,

21 heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and the like: of which I forewarn you, as I have also told you before, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

feelings of envy, drunkenness, revelry, and the like. And I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who indulge in such things will have no place in the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering,

But the fruit produced by the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindliness, generosity, trustfulness, gentleness, self-control.

23 gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance: against such things there is no law.

Against such things there is no law!

24 And they, that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with it's passions and desires.

And those who belong to Jesus, the Christ, have already crucified their earthly nature, with its passions and its cravings.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Since our life is due to the Spirit, let us rule our conduct also by the Spirit.

26 Let us not be vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

Do not let us grow vain, and provoke or envy one another.