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Galatians 5
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Chapter 5
III.
EXHORTATION
Christian liberty
1
When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
2
It is I, Paul, who tell you this: if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all.
3
With all solemnity I repeat my warning: Everyone who accepts circumcision is obliged to keep the whole Law.
4
But if you do look to the Law to make you justified, then you have separated yourselves from Christ, and have fallen from grace.
5
Christians are told by the Spirit to look to faith for those rewards that righteousness hopes for,
6
since in Christ Jesus whether you are circumcised or not makes no difference – what matters is faith that makes its power felt through love.
7
You began your race well: who made you less anxious to obey the truth?
8
You were not prompted by him who called you!
9
The yeast seems to be spreading through the whole batch of you.
10
I feel sure that, united in the Lord, you will agree with me, and anybody who troubles you in future will be condemned, no matter who he is.
11
As for me, my brothers, if I still preach circumcision,[*a] why am I still persecuted? If I did that now, would there be any scandal of the cross?
12
Tell those who are disturbing you I would like to see the knife slip.
Liberty and charity
13
My brothers, you were called, as you know, to liberty; but be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence. Serve one another, rather, in works of love,
14
since the whole of the Law is summarised in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself.[*b]
15
If you go snapping at each other and tearing each other to pieces, you had better watch or you will destroy the whole community.
16
Let me put it like this: if you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence,
17
since self-indulgence is the opposite of the Spirit, the Spirit is totally against such a thing, and it is precisely because the two are so opposed that you do not always carry out your good intentions.
18
If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you.
19
When self-indulgence is at work the results are obvious: fornication, gross indecency and sexual irresponsibility;
20
idolatry and sorcery; feuds and wrangling, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels; disagreements, factions,
21
envy; drunkenness, orgies and similar things. I warn you now, as I warned you before: those who behave like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22
What the Spirit brings is very different: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness,
23
gentleness and self-control. There can be no law against things like that, of course.
24
You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires.
25
Since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit.
26
We must stop being conceited, provocative and envious.
Chapters of Galatians
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2
3
4
5
6
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