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Galatians 6
New International Version
Galatians 6
New International Version
Doing Good to All
6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit(A) should restore(B) that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.(C) 3 If anyone thinks they are something(D) when they are not, they deceive themselves.(E) 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone,(F) without comparing themselves to someone else,(G) 5 for each one should carry their own load.(H) 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.(I)
7 Do not be deceived:(J) God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.(K) 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh,(L) from the flesh will reap destruction;(M) whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.(N) 9 Let us not become weary in doing good,(O) for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.(P) 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good(Q) to all people, especially to those who belong to the family(R) of believers.
Not Circumcision but the New Creation
11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!(S)
12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh(T) are trying to compel you to be circumcised.(U) The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted(V) for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,(W) yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.(X) 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,(Y) through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.(Z) 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;(AA) what counts is the new creation.(AB) 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to[b] the Israel of God.
17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks(AC) of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ(AD) be with your spirit,(AE) brothers and sisters. Amen.
Footnotes
- Galatians 6:14 Or whom
- Galatians 6:16 Or rule and to
Galatians 6
The Message
Galatians 6
The Message
Nothing but the Cross
6 1-3 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
4-5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.
6 Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.
7-8 Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
9-10 So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.
11-13 Now, in these last sentences, I want to emphasize in the bold scrawls of my personal handwriting the immense importance of what I have written to you. These people who are attempting to force the ways of circumcision on you have only one motive: They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares Christ’s suffering and death. All their talk about the law is gas. They themselves don’t keep the law! And they are highly selective in the laws they do observe. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast of their success in recruiting you to their side. That is contemptible!
14-16 For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!
17 Quite frankly, I don’t want to be bothered anymore by these disputes. I have far more important things to do—the serious living of this faith. I bear in my body scars from my service to Jesus.
18 May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and personally yours, my friends. Oh, yes!
Galatians 6
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
Galatians 6
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
6 Brethren, and if a man be overtaken in any fault, you, who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens; and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if any man think himself to be some thing, whereas he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every one prove his own work, and so he shall have glory in himself only, and not in another.
5 For every one shall bear his own burden.
6 And let him that is instructed in the word, communicate to him that instructeth him, in all good things.
7 Be not deceived, God is not mocked.
8 For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting.
9 And in doing good, let us not fail. For in due time we shall reap, not failing.
10 Therefore, whilst we have time, let us work good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
11 See what a letter I have written to you with my own hand.
12 For as many as desire to please in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer the persecution of the cross of Christ.
13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised, keep the law; but they will have you to be circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16 And whosoever shall follow this rule, peace on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From henceforth let no man be troublesome to me; for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus in my body.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
Galatians 6
Expanded Bible
Galatians 6
Expanded Bible
Help Each Other
6 Brothers and sisters, if ·someone in your group [L a person] ·does something wrong [or is overcome by some trangression/sin; or is discovered/caught in some trangression/sin], you who are spiritual should go to that person and ·gently help make him right again [restore him gently/with a gentle spirit]. But be careful, ·because you might [or so that you won’t] be tempted to sin, too. 2 By ·helping each other with your troubles [L bearing each other’s burdens], you truly ·obey [accomplish; fulfill] the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is ·important [L something] when he really is not, he is only ·fooling [deceiving; deluding] himself. 4 Each person should ·judge [examine; test] his own ·actions [or achievements; L work] and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done. 5 Each person ·must be responsible for himself [L will carry their own load].
6 Anyone who is ·learning the teaching of God [being instructed in the word] should share all the good things he has with his teacher.
Life Is like Planting a Field
7 Do not be ·fooled [deceived; mistaken]: You cannot ·cheat [mock; make a fool of] God. People ·harvest only what they plant [reap what they sow]. 8 If they plant ·to satisfy [or in the field of; L into; to] their ·sinful selves [sinful nature; flesh], ·their sinful selves will bring them ruin [L they will reap destruction from the flesh]. But if they plant ·to please [or in the field of; L into; to] the Spirit, they will ·receive [reap; harvest] eternal life from the Spirit. 9 We must not become ·tired [or discouraged] of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life ·at the right [or in due] time if we do not give up. 10 [L Therefore; So then] When we have the opportunity to ·help [do good to] anyone, we should do it. But ·we should give special attention [L especially] to those who are in the ·family [household] of ·believers [L faith].
Paul Ends His Letter
11 See what large letters I use to write this ·myself [L with my own hand; C added to authenticate the letter; the rest had likely been dictated]. 12 Some people are trying to force you to be circumcised ·so the Jews will accept them [or to impress others by external standards; L to make a good showing in the flesh]. They do this only to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ [C the Gospel message of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross]. 13 [L For] Those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so they can ·brag [boast] ·about what they forced you to do [L in your flesh]. 14 ·I hope I will never [L May it never be that I] ·brag [boast] about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. ·Through that cross [or Through Jesus Christ; L …through which/whom] the world has been crucified to me and I have been crucified to the world. 15 It ·is not important [makes no difference; is nothing] if a man is circumcised or uncircumcised. The important thing is ·being the new people God has made [L a new creation; 2 Cor. 5:17]. 16 Peace and mercy to those who ·follow [walk/live by] this rule—and to ·all of God’s people [L the Israel of God; C either: (1) Jewish Christians or (2) the church as the “new Israel”].
17 ·So [or In conclusion; or From now on] do not give me any more trouble. [L For] I ·have scars on my body that show I belong to Jesus [L bear the marks of Jesus on my body; C from his many beatings for the Gospel; perhaps also indicating his “branding” as a slave of Jesus Christ].
18 My brothers and sisters, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
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Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.