GALATIANS 5 [†]For  s freedom Christ has  t set us free;  u stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to  v a yoke of  w slavery.

2[†]Look: I, Paul, say to you that  x if you accept circumcision,  y Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that  z he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4[†]You are  a severed from Christ,  b you who would be justified [1] by the law;  c you have fallen away from grace. 5[†]For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly  d wait for the hope of righteousness. 6[†]For in Christ Jesus  e neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but  f only faith working through love.

7 g You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying  h the truth? 8This persuasion is not from  i him who calls you. 9 j A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 k I have confidence in the Lord that you will  l take no other view, and  m the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11[†]But if I, brothers, [2] still preach [3] circumcision,  n why am I still being persecuted? In that case  o the offense of the cross has been removed. 12I wish  p those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

13[†]For you were called to freedom, brothers.  q Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love  r serve one another. 14[†]For  s the whole law is fulfilled in one word:  t “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15But if you  u bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

16[†]But I say,  v walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify  w the desires of the flesh. 17[†]For  x the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other,  y to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18[†]But if you are  z led by the Spirit,  a you are not under the law. 19[†]Now  b the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20[†]idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions,  c divisions, 21[†]envy, [4] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that  d those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22[†]But  e the fruit of the Spirit is  f love, joy, peace, patience,  g kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 h gentleness,  i self-control;  j against such things there is no law. 24[†]And those who belong to Christ Jesus  k have crucified the flesh with its  l passions and desires.

25[†]If we live by the Spirit,  m let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26[†] n Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.