Galatians 5-6

New American Standard Bible

Follow the Spirit

5 ^(A)It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore ^(B)keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a ^(C)yoke of slavery.

²Look! I, ^(D)Paul, tell you that if you have yourselves ^(E)circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. ³And I ^(F)testify again to every man who has himself ^(G)circumcised, that he is obligated to ^(H)keep the whole Law. ⁴You have been severed from Christ, you who ^[a]are seeking to be justified by the ^[b]Law; you have ^(I)fallen from grace. ⁵For we, ^[c]through the Spirit, ^[d]by faith, are ^(J)waiting for the hope of righteousness. ⁶For in ^(K)Christ Jesus ^(L)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but ^(M)faith working through love.

⁷You were ^(N)running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸This persuasion did not come from ^(O)Him who calls you. ⁹^(P)A little ^[e]leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. ¹⁰^(Q)I have confidence ^[f]in you in the Lord, that you ^(R)will adopt no other view; but the one who is ^(S)disturbing you will bear the punishment, whoever he is. ¹¹But as for me, brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still ^(T)persecuted? Then ^(U)the stumbling block of the cross has been eliminated. ¹²I wish that ^(V)those who are troubling you would even ^[g]^(W)emasculate themselves.

¹³For you were called to ^(X)freedom, brothers and sisters; ^(Y)only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but ^(Z)serve one another through love. ¹⁴For ^(AA)the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “^(AB)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵But if you ^(AC)bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

¹⁶But I say, ^(AD)walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out ^(AE)the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷For ^(AF)the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, ^(AG)in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. ¹⁸But if you are ^(AH)led by the Spirit, ^(AI)you are not under the Law. ¹⁹Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: ^(AJ)sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, ²⁰idolatry, ^(AK)witchcraft, hostilities, ^(AL)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, ^(AM)selfish ambition, dissensions, ^(AN)factions, ²¹envy, ^(AO)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not ^(AP)inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But ^(AQ)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(AR)love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, ^(AS)self-control; against such things ^(AT)there is no law. ²⁴Now those who ^[h]belong to ^(AU)Christ Jesus ^(AV)crucified the flesh with its passions and ^(AW)desires.

²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow ^(AX)the Spirit as well. ²⁶Let’s not become ^(AY)boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Bear One Another’s Burdens

6 ^(AZ)Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are ^(BA)spiritual are to ^(BB)restore such a person ^(BC)in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. ²^(BD)Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill ^(BE)the law of Christ. ³For ^(BF)if anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴But each one must ^(BG)examine his own work, and then he will have reason for ^(BH)boasting, but ^[i]to himself alone, and not ^[j]to another. ⁵For ^(BI)each one will bear his own load.

⁶^(BJ)The one who is taught ^(BK)the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. ⁷^(BL)Do not be deceived, ^(BM)God is not mocked; for ^(BN)whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. ⁸^(BO)For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap ^(BP)destruction from the flesh, but ^(BQ)the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. ⁹^(BR)Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we ^(BS)do not become weary. ¹⁰So then, ^[k]^(BT)while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the ^(BU)household of ^(BV)the faith.

¹¹See with what large letters I have written to you ^(BW)with my own hand! ¹²All who want ^(BX)to make a good showing in the flesh try to ^(BY)compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they ^(BZ)will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³For those who ^[l]are circumcised do not even ^(CA)keep ^[m]the Law themselves, but they want to have you circumcised so that they may ^(CB)boast in your flesh. ¹⁴But ^(CC)^[n]far be it from me to boast, ^(CD)except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(CE)through ^[o]which the world has been crucified to me, and ^(CF)I to the world. ¹⁵For ^(CG)neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a ^(CH)new ^[p]creation. ¹⁶And all who will follow this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the ^(CI)Israel of God.