Galatians 5
Paul warns the Galatians against returning to the yoke of servitude and reminds them that if they seek to be justified by the law, they will fall from grace. He emphasizes that faith working through charity is what truly matters, not circumcision or uncircumcision. Paul lists the works of the flesh, including fornication, lust, and envy, and contrasts them with the fruit of the Spirit, which includes charity, joy, and peace. He exhorts the Galatians to walk by the Spirit and not to provoke or envy one another.
Stand firm, and do not be willing to be again held by the yoke of servitudeBehold, I, Paul, say to you, that if you have been circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to youFor I again testify, about every man circumcising himself, that he is obligated to act according to the entire lawYou are being emptied of Christ, you who are being justified by the law. You have fallen from graceFor in spirit, by faith, we await the hope of justiceFor in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision prevails over anything, but only faith which works through charityYou have run well. So what has impeded you, that you would not obey the truthThis kind of influence is not from him who is calling youA little leaven corrupts the whole massI have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will accept nothing of the kind. However, he who disturbs you shall bear the judgment, whomever he may beAnd as for me, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still suffering persecution? For then the scandal of the Cross would be made emptyAnd I wish that those who disturb you would be torn awayFor you, brothers, have been called to liberty. Only you must not make liberty into an occasion for the flesh, but instead, serve one another through the charity of the SpiritFor the entire law is fulfilled by one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you are not consumed by one anotherSo then, I say: Walk in the spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the fleshFor the flesh desires against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. And since these are against one another, you may not do whatever you wantBut if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the lawNow the works of the flesh are manifest; they are: fornication, lust, homosexuality, self-indulgencethe serving of idols, drug use, hostility, contentiousness, jealousy, wrath, quarrels, dissensions, divisionsenvy, murder, inebriation, carousing, and similar things. About these things, I continue to preach to you, as I have preached to you: that those who act in this way shall not obtain the kingdom of GodBut the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, forbearancemeekness, faith, modesty, abstinence, chastity. There is no law against such thingsFor those who are Christ’s have crucified their flesh, along with its vices and desiresIf we live by the Spirit, we should also walk by the SpiritLet us not become desirous of empty glory, provoking one another, envying one another
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