Standing Free in Christ
5 1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2 Look, I, Paul, tell you this: if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will do you no good. 3 I declare again to every man who lets himself be circumcised: he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You who would be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Holy Spirit, by faith, we eagerly await the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
7 You were running well. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from our Father, who calls you. 9 A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will see it no differently; but the one who is troubling you will face the consequences, whoever he is.
11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who are unsettling you would emasculate themselves! a a v12 Paul sharply turns the knife: if cutting is the point, let the circumcision teachers go all the way.
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the sinful nature, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one command: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desire of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit what is against the sinful nature; these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, selfish ambitions, divisions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of our Father.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, b b v22 'Fruit,' not 'works': not a checklist, but what grows as we stay close to our Father. 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.