5:1 For freedom¹ Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke² of slavery. 5:2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! 5:3 And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey³ the whole law. 5:4 You who are trying to be declared righteous⁴ by the law have been alienated⁵ from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! 5:5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight—the only thing that matters is faith working through love.⁶

5:7 You were running well; who prevented you from obeying⁷ the truth? 5:8 This persuasion⁸ does not come from the one who calls you. 5:9 A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise!⁹ 5:10 I am confident¹⁰ in the Lord that you will accept no other view.¹¹ But the one who is confusing¹² you will pay the penalty,¹³ whoever he may be. 5:11 Now, brothers and sisters,¹⁴ if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?¹⁵ In that case the offense of the cross¹⁶ has been removed.¹⁷ 5:12 I wish those agitators¹⁸ would go so far as to¹⁹ castrate themselves!²⁰

5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;²¹ only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh,²² but through love serve one another.²³ 5:14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment,²⁴ namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”²⁵ 5:15 However, if you continually bite and devour one another,²⁶ beware that you are not consumed²⁷ by one another. 5:16 But I say, live²⁸ by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.²⁹ 5:17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires³⁰ that are opposed to the flesh; for these are in opposition to³¹ each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh³² are obvious:³³ sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 5:20 idolatry, sorcery,³⁴ enmities,³⁵ strife,³⁶ jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions,³⁷ factions, 5:21 envyings, murders,³⁸ drunkenness, carousings,³⁹ and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit⁴⁰ is love,⁴¹ joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,⁴² 5:23 gentleness, and⁴³ self-control. Against such things there is no law. 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ⁴⁴ have crucified the flesh⁴⁵ with its passions⁴⁶ and desires. 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with⁴⁷ the Spirit. 5:26 Let us not become conceited,⁴⁸ provoking⁴⁹ one another, being jealous⁵⁰ of one another.