Kaletia 5

1 Ko ia, tuʻumaʻu ʻi he tauʻatāina ʻaia kuo fakatauʻatāina ai ʻakitautolu ʻe Kalaisi, pea ʻoua naʻa toe ʻefihia ʻi he haʻamonga ʻoe pōpula.

It is in order that we might live without (being obliged [to/having to]) [obey all the Jewish rituals] that Christ freed us [from God condemning us because of our disobeying those rituals]. So, firmly [reject the false teaching that someone must circumcise you, and] do not [live like] slaves again [MET] [by letting others force you to obey those rules and rituals again].

2 Vakai, ko au Paula, ʻoku ou tala kiate kimoutolu, kapau te mou kamu, ʻe ʻikai ʻaonga siʻi ʻa Kalaisi kiate kimoutolu.

Consider very carefully what I, Paul, [an apostle], now tell you: If, [to fulfill Jewish ritual laws], you are permitting yourself to be circumcised {someone to circumcise you}, what Christ [has done for you] will not benefit you at all.

3 He ʻoku ou toe fakapapau ki he tangata kotoa pē kuo kamu, ʻoku totonu ke ne fai ʻae fono kotoa pē.

Instead, I solemnly declare again to every man who is circumcised {has someone circumcise him} [in order for God to accept him], that you must [perfectly] obey all of the laws [that God gave Moses, in order for God to save you].

4 Kuo fakataʻeʻaonga ʻa Kalaisi kiate kimoutolu, ʻakimoutolu kotoa pē kuo fakatonuhia ʻe he fono; kuo hinga ʻakimoutolu mei he ʻofa.

Those of you who are sure that God will erase the record of your sins because you obey the laws [that God gave to Moses], you have separated yourselves from Christ. You have abandoned/rejected [God’s true method of saving you, which was] by kindly erasing the record of your sins, in a way that you did not deserve.

5 He ʻoku tau tatali ʻi he Laumālie ki he ʻamanaki lelei ʻoe fakatonuhia ʻi he tui.

But we who have a relationship with Christ and who trust in Christ are eagerly waiting to receive what God’s Spirit assures us that we can expect. We can expect to receive it because God has erased the record of our sins.

6 He ʻoku ʻikai ʻaonga siʻi ʻia Kalaisi Sisu ʻae kamu, pe ʻae taʻekamu: ka ko e tui ʻoku ngāue ʻi he ʻofa.

As for us who have a relationship with Christ Jesus, God is not concerned whether we are circumcised or not circumcised. Instead, God is concerned about whether we trust [in] Christ, with the result that we love [other people].

7 Naʻa mou lele lelei; ko hai naʻa ne taʻofi ʻakimoutolu ke ʻoua naʻa mou talangofua ki he moʻoni?

You were progressing well [spiritually] [MET]. You should not have let someone influence you so that [now you] are not believing the true [message about Christ] [RHQ]!

8 ‌ʻOku ʻikai meiate ia naʻa ne ui ʻakimoutolu ʻae tui ngofua ni.

[God], the one who chose you, is not the one who is persuading you to think like this!

9 “Ko e meʻa siʻi fakatupu ʻoku ne fakatupu ʻae takaonga kotoa.”

[Remember that this false doctrine that someone is teaching you will affect all of you, just like] [MET] a little yeast causes all of the dough to swell up.

10 ‌ʻOku ou falala atu kiate kimoutolu ʻi he ʻEiki, ke ʻoua te mou loto kehe: ka ko ia ʻoku ne veuveuki ʻakimoutolu, ʻe fua pē ʻe ia hono tautea, neongo pe ko hai ia.

[Nevertheless], because of my relationship with the Lord, I am certain that you will think only as I do [about forcing people to obey rules and rituals]. Furthermore, [God] will punish anyone who is confusing you [by teaching this false message], even if he is an important person.

11 Pea ko au, ʻe kāinga, kapau ʻoku ou kei malangaʻaki ʻae kamu, ko e hā ʻoku kei fakatanga ai au? Ka ko ia, pea tā kuo ngata hono ongokovi ʻoe ʻakau ʻo [Kalaisi].

But, my fellow believers, [although someone claims that I am proclaiming that men must be circumcised, I certainly am not still proclaiming that. Remember that the Jews are still] ([persecuting me/causing me to suffer]). If I were still proclaiming that men must be circumcised [in order for God to accept them], (the Jews would not be persecuting me./why would the Jews be persecuting me?) [RHQ] [They would] [RHQ] not be [persecuting me]/causing me to suffer [because] then [the Jews] would no longer be offended. [They] ([are offended/do not want to accept what I teach]) [because I proclaim that Christ, the Messiah, died on] the cross [MTY].

12 ‌ʻAmusiaange ʻeau kuo tuʻusi ʻakinautolu ʻoku veuveuki ʻakimoutolu.

I [would even] wish that those who are disturbing you [by insisting that men be circumcised] would also emasculate [EUP] themselves, [with the result that they would be expelled from your congregations]!

13 He kuo ui ʻakimoutolu, ʻe kāinga, ki he tauʻatāina; kaeʻoua naʻa meʻa ngāueʻaki ʻae tauʻatāina ke fai fakakakano, kae fetauhiʻaki ʻakimoutolu ʻi he ʻofa.

My fellow believers, [God] chose you in order that [you might live] without having to [obey rules and rituals]. But [do not assume that because] you are free [from having to obey rules and rituals], [God] permits you to [do whatever your] self-directed nature [desires]. Instead, constantly, as you love [each other], serve each other.

14 He ʻoku fakamoʻoni ʻae fono kotoa pē ʻi he lea ko eni ʻe taha, “Ke ke ʻofa ki ho kaungāʻapi ʻo hangē pe ko koe.”

Keep in mind that we can sum up all of the laws [that God has] given us in one law, which is: “You must love each person you come in contact with, just like [you love] yourself.”

15 Ka mou ka fetoutou feʻūʻuusiʻaki, mo fetoutou fefoloʻaki ʻakimoutolu, vakai telia naʻa mou fetoutou fefakaʻauhaʻaki pe ʻakimoutolu.

Since you are attacking and injuring [MET] each other [by the things that you say] [MET], I warn you that [if you continue doing that], you will totally ruin each other [spiritually].

16 Ka ʻoku ou pehē, Mou ʻaʻeva ʻi he Laumālie, pea ʻe ʻikai te mou fai ai ki he holi ʻoe kakano.

[So] I tell you this: Constantly let [God’s] Spirit direct you. [If you do that], you will certainly not do the things that your self-directed nature wants [you to do].

17 He ʻoku holi tuʻu ʻae kakano ki he Laumālie, mo e Laumālie ki he kakano: pea ʻoku fai kehekehe ʻakinaua ni, ko e taha ki he taha: ko ia ʻoku ʻikai ai te mou faʻa fai ʻaia ʻoku mou loto ki ai.

Your self-directed nature (opposes [God’s] Spirit/does not [want you to do what] God’s Spirit [wants you to do]), but also his Spirit opposes your self-directed nature. These two are always (fighting with/opposing) each other. The result is that you do not [constantly] do the [good] deeds that you truly desire [to do].

18 Kapau ʻoku takiekina ʻakimoutolu ʻe he Laumālie, ʻoku ʻikai te mou moʻulaloa ki he fono.

But when you are led by God’s Spirit {when God’s Spirit directs you}, you [can do what pleases God], now that you are no longer obligated [to obey all] the laws [that God gave Moses].

19 Pea ʻoku hā mai ʻae ngaahi ngāue ʻae kakano, ko eni ia; Ko e tono fefine, mo e feʻauaki, mo e taʻemaʻa, mo e fakalielia,

[You already know] how [people think and] act [PRS] because of their self-directed nature. These are [some of the things that they do: People] are sexually immoral. [People] commit unnatural sexual acts. [People] act indecently.

20 Mo e tauhi tamapua, mo e fie mana, mo e taufehiʻa, mo e fekeʻikeʻi, mo e fefielahiʻaki, mo e lili, mo e feʻiteʻitani, mo e mavahevahe, mo e ngaahi hē,

[People] worship false gods [and] things [that] represent those gods. [People] perform (rituals in order that evil spirits might act for them/sorcery). [People] are hostile [to others. People] quarrel [with each other. People] are (jealous/resent other people’s status). [People] behave angrily. [People] try (to get others to think highly of them/to exalt themselves) and (do not consider what others want/act selfishly). People do not associate [with others. People] associate only with those who agree [with them].

21 Mo e femehekaʻaki, mo e fefakapoʻaki, mo e faʻa kona, mo e ngaahi kātoanga kai, mo e ngaahi meʻa pehē ni: ʻaia ʻoku ou tomuʻa tala ni kiate kimoutolu, ʻo hangē ko ʻeku tala ʻi he kuonga kuo hili, ko kinautolu ʻoku fai ʻae ngaahi meʻa pehē, ʻe ʻikai te nau lavaʻi ʻae puleʻanga ʻoe ʻOtua.

[People] want what others have. [People] get drunk. [People] (revel/participate in wild parties). And [people do other] things like these. I warn you [now], just like I warned [you previously], that the ones [who constantly] act [and think] like that will not receive [what] God [has for his own people when he begins] to rule over us.

22 Ka ko e fua ʻoe Laumālie, ko e ʻofa, mo e fiefia, mo e melino, mo e kātaki fuoloa, mo e angavaivai, mo e angalelei, mo e tui,

But [God’s] Spirit causes [us to do these things]: We love [others]. We are joyful. We are peaceful. We are patient. We are kind. We are good. We are [ones whom] others can trust.

23 Mo e angamalū, mo e taʻekona: pea ʻoku ʻikai ha fono ke taʻofi eni.

We are gentle. We control our behavior. There is no law that says people should not [think and act in such ways].

24 Pea ko kinautolu ʻoku ʻa Kalaisi, kuo nau tutuki ki he ʻakau ʻae kakano mo hono ngaahi ʻofa mo hono ngaahi holi.

Furthermore, we who belong to Christ Jesus have [stopped obeying] our self-directed nature and [stopped doing] all the evil things that we desire to do [MET]. [It is as though] [MET] we nailed them to the cross!

25 Kapau ʻoku tau moʻui ʻi he Laumālie, ketau ʻaʻeva foki ʻi he Laumālie.

Since [God’s] Spirit has caused us to [be spiritually] alive, we should [conduct our lives the way the] Spirit [directs us].

26 ‌ʻOua naʻa tau holi ki he fakamālō launoa, ʻo fefakalotokoviʻaki pe ʻakitautolu, ʻo femehekaʻaki pe ʻakitautolu.

We should not be saying how great we are. We should not be making ourselves more important than others. We should not envy each other.