Galatians 5

Galatians 5

Christian Liberty

1Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.[#Phil. 4:1; #Acts 15:10; Gal. 2:4]

2Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.[#Acts 15:1; Gal. 5:3, 6, 11]

3And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.[#(Deut. 27:26; Rom. 2:25; Gal. 3:10)]

4You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.[#(Rom. 9:31); #Heb. 12:15; 2 Pet. 3:17]

5For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.[#Rom. 8:24]

6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.[#(1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 6:15; Col. 3:11); #Col. 1:4; 1 Thess. 1:3; (James 2:18, 20, 22)]

Love Fulfills the Law

7You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?[#1 Cor. 9:24]

8This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.

9A little leaven leavens the whole lump.[#1 Cor. 5:6]

10I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.

11And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.[#1 Cor. 15:30; #Rom. 9:33; (1 Cor. 1:23)]

12I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off![#Josh. 7:25; #Acts 15:1, 2]

13For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.[#(Rom. 8:2); 1 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 5:1; #Rom. 6:1; 1 Pet. 2:16; #1 Cor. 9:19; Eph. 5:21]

14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”[#Matt. 7:12; 22:40; Rom. 13:8, 10; Gal. 6:2; #Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39; Rom. 13:9]

15But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Walking in the Spirit

16I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.[#Rom. 6:12]

17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.[#Rom. 7:18, 22, 23; 8:5; #Rom. 7:15]

18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.[#(Rom. 6:14; 7:4; 8:14; 1 Tim. 1:9)]

19Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,[#Rom. 1:26–31; Eph. 5:3, 11; 2 Tim. 3:2–4]

20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.[#1 Cor. 6:9, 10]

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,[#(John 15:2); #(Rom. 5:1–5; 1 Cor. 13:4; Col. 3:12–15); #Rom. 15:14; #1 Cor. 13:7]

23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.[#1 Tim. 1:9]

24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.[#Rom. 6:6; (Gal. 2:20; 6:14)]

25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.[#(Rom. 8:4, 5)]

26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.[#Phil. 2:3]

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Published by: Thomas Nelson, Inc.