Galatians 5:1-26 NIV
Freedom in CHRIST
1 It is
for freedom that CHRIST Has Set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let
yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2Mark my
words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, CHRIST Will Be of no value to you at all. 3Again I
declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to
obey the whole Law. 4You who
are trying to be justified by the Law have been alienated From CHRIST; you have
fallen away From Grace.
5For Through The SPIRIT we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we
hope. 6For In
CHRIST JESUS neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only
thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
7You were
running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8That
kind of persuasion does not come from The ONE WHO Calls you. 9“A
little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10I am
confident In The Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing
you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11Brothers
and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being
persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12As for
those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Life by The SPIRIT
13You, my
brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to
indulge the flesha;
rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14For the
entire Law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as
yourself.” 15If you
bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16So I
say, walk by The SPIRIT, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the
flesh desires what is contrary to The SPIRIT, and The SPIRIT what is contrary
to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do
whatever you want. 18But if
you are led by The SPIRIT, you are not under the Law.
19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry
and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions 21and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that
those who live like this will not inherit The Kingdom of GOD.
22But The
Fruit of The SPIRIT is love, joy, peace,
forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23gentleness
and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24Those
who belong to CHRIST JESUS have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires.
25Since
we live by The SPIRIT, let us keep in step with The SPIRIT. 26Let us
not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.