1 We|strong="G2249" have|strong="G2532" freedom|strong="G1657" now|strong="G2532", because Christ|strong="G5547" made us|strong="G1659" free|strong="G1659". So|strong="G3767" stand|strong="G4739" strong in|strong="G2532" that|strong="G3767" freedom|strong="G1657". Don’t|strong="G3361" go back|strong="G3825" into|strong="G3825" slavery|strong="G1397" again|strong="G3825".
2 Listen! I|strong="G1473", Paul|strong="G3972", tell|strong="G3004" you|strong="G5210" that|strong="G3754" if|strong="G1437" you|strong="G5210" start following the|strong="G3708" law by|strong="G3004" being|strong="G4771" circumcised|strong="G4059", then|strong="G3754" Christ|strong="G5547" cannot help|strong="G5623" you|strong="G5210".
3 Again|strong="G3825", I|strong="G3754" warn everyone|strong="G3956": If|strong="G3748" you|strong="G3754" allow yourselves to|strong="G3825" be|strong="G1510" circumcised|strong="G4059", then|strong="G1161" you|strong="G3754" must|strong="G4160" follow the|strong="G3956" whole|strong="G3650" law|strong="G3551".
4 If|strong="G3748" you|strong="G1722" try to|strong="G1722" be|strong="G5547" made right with|strong="G1722" God through|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" law|strong="G3551", your|strong="G1722" life with|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" is|strong="G3588" finished—you|strong="G1722" have|strong="G3748" left|strong="G0575" God’s grace|strong="G5485".
5 I|strong="G1473" say|strong="G1473" this because|strong="G1063" our hope|strong="G1680" of|strong="G1537" being right|strong="G1343" with|strong="G1537" God comes through|strong="G1537" faith|strong="G4102". And|strong="G4151" the|strong="G1537" Spirit|strong="G4151" helps us|strong="G1537" feel sure as|strong="G1473" we|strong="G2249" wait|strong="G0553" for|strong="G1063" that|strong="G4151" hope|strong="G1680".
6 When|strong="G1722" someone|strong="G5100" belongs to|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424", it|strong="G1223" is|strong="G5100" not|strong="G2480" important if they|strong="G1223" are|strong="G3777" circumcised|strong="G4061" or|strong="G3777" not|strong="G2480". The|strong="G1223" important thing is|strong="G5100" faith|strong="G4102"—the|strong="G1223" kind|strong="G5100" of|strong="G1223" faith|strong="G4102" that|strong="G5100" works|strong="G1754" through|strong="G1223" love|strong="G0026".
7 You|strong="G5210" were|strong="G5101" doing so|strong="G3361" well|strong="G2573". Who|strong="G5101" caused you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G5101" stop|strong="G3361" following the|strong="G5101" truth|strong="G0225"?
8 It|strong="G1537" certainly wasn’t|strong="G3756" the|strong="G3588" one|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" chose you|strong="G5210".
9 Be careful! “Just a little|strong="G3398" yeast|strong="G2219" makes|strong="G2220" the|strong="G3588" whole|strong="G3650" batch of|strong="G3588" dough rise|strong="G2220".”
10 I|strong="G1473" trust|strong="G3982" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962" that|strong="G3754" you|strong="G5210" will|strong="G1510" not|strong="G1510" believe|strong="G3982" those|strong="G3588" different ideas. Someone|strong="G0243" is|strong="G1510" trying to|strong="G1519" confuse you|strong="G5210". Whoever|strong="G3748" it|strong="G1437" is|strong="G1510" will|strong="G1510" be|strong="G1510" punished.
11 My|strong="G1487" brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G1161" sisters, I|strong="G1473" don’t teach that|strong="G1161" a|strong="G1487" man|strong="G0080" must|strong="G3588" be|strong="G2089" circumcised|strong="G4061". If|strong="G1487" I|strong="G1473" do|strong="G5101" teach circumcision|strong="G4061", then|strong="G1161" why|strong="G5101" am|strong="G1473" I|strong="G1473" still|strong="G2089" being|strong="G2089" persecuted|strong="G1377"? If|strong="G1487" I|strong="G1473" still|strong="G2089" taught circumcision|strong="G4061", then|strong="G1161" my|strong="G1487" message about|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" cross|strong="G4716" would|strong="G5101" not|strong="G1473" be|strong="G2089" a|strong="G1487" problem.
12 I|strong="G2532" wish|strong="G3785" those|strong="G3588" people|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" bothering you|strong="G5210" would|strong="G2532" add castration to|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" circumcision.
13 My|strong="G3440" brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G0080" sisters, God chose you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G3361" free. But|strong="G0235" don’t|strong="G3361" use your|strong="G1223" freedom|strong="G1657" as|strong="G1519" an|strong="G2564" excuse to|strong="G1519" do|strong="G3361" what|strong="G3588" pleases your|strong="G1223" sinful selves. Instead|strong="G0235", serve|strong="G1398" each|strong="G0240" other|strong="G0240" with|strong="G1909" love|strong="G0026".
14 The|strong="G3956" whole|strong="G3956" law|strong="G3551" is|strong="G3588" made|strong="G4137" complete|strong="G4137" in|strong="G1722" this|strong="G3588" one|strong="G1520" command: “Love|strong="G0025" your|strong="G0025" neighbor|strong="G4139" the|strong="G3956" same|strong="G5613" as|strong="G5613" you|strong="G4771" love|strong="G0025" yourself|strong="G4572".”
15 If|strong="G1487" you|strong="G1487" continue|strong="G2532" hurting each|strong="G0240" other|strong="G1161" and|strong="G2532" tearing each|strong="G0240" other|strong="G1161" apart, be|strong="G2532" careful|strong="G0991", or|strong="G2532" you|strong="G1487" will|strong="G2532" completely|strong="G2719" destroy each|strong="G0240" other|strong="G1161".
16 So|strong="G2532" I|strong="G2532" tell|strong="G3004" you|strong="G3004", live|strong="G4043" the|strong="G2532" way the|strong="G2532" Spirit|strong="G4151" leads|strong="G4043" you|strong="G3004". Then|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3004" will|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3756" do|strong="G3361" the|strong="G2532" evil things|strong="G3004" your|strong="G2532" sinful self wants.
17 The|strong="G3588" sinful self wants|strong="G2309" what|strong="G3739" is|strong="G3778" against|strong="G2596" the|strong="G3588" Spirit|strong="G4151", and|strong="G1161" the|strong="G3588" Spirit|strong="G4151" wants|strong="G2309" what|strong="G3739" is|strong="G3778" against|strong="G2596" the|strong="G3588" sinful self. They|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3778" always fighting against|strong="G2596" each|strong="G2596" other|strong="G1161", so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G3739" you|strong="G3739" don’t|strong="G3361" do|strong="G4160" what|strong="G3739" you|strong="G3739" really want|strong="G2309" to|strong="G2443" do|strong="G4160".
18 But|strong="G1161" if|strong="G1487" you|strong="G1487" let|strong="G1510" the|strong="G1161" Spirit|strong="G4151" lead|strong="G0071" you|strong="G1487", you|strong="G1487" are|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" under|strong="G5259" law|strong="G3551".
19 The|strong="G3588" wrong things|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" sinful self does|strong="G1510" are|strong="G1510" clear: committing sexual|strong="G4202" sin, being|strong="G1510" morally bad, doing|strong="G2041" all|strong="G3588" kinds of|strong="G2041" shameful things|strong="G3588",
20 worshiping false gods, taking part in witchcraft, hating people, causing trouble, being jealous, angry|strong="G2372" or selfish|strong="G2052", causing people to argue and|strong="G2054" divide into separate groups,
21 being|strong="G4771" filled with|strong="G2316" envy|strong="G5355", getting drunk, having wild parties, and|strong="G2532" doing|strong="G4238" other|strong="G3739" things|strong="G3778" like|strong="G3664" this|strong="G3778". I|strong="G3739" warn you|strong="G5210" now|strong="G2532" as|strong="G2531" I|strong="G3739" warned you|strong="G5210" before|strong="G3588": The|strong="G3588" people|strong="G3778" who|strong="G3739" do|strong="G4238" these|strong="G3778" things|strong="G3778" will|strong="G2316" not|strong="G3756" have|strong="G2532" a|strong="G5108" part in|strong="G2316" God’s|strong="G2316" kingdom|strong="G0932".
22 But|strong="G1161" the|strong="G3588" fruit|strong="G2590" that|strong="G1161" the|strong="G3588" Spirit|strong="G4151" produces in|strong="G4102" a|strong="G1510" person’s life|strong="G4151" is|strong="G1510" love|strong="G0026", joy|strong="G5479", peace|strong="G1515", patience|strong="G3115", kindness|strong="G5544", goodness|strong="G0019", faithfulness|strong="G4102",
23 gentleness|strong="G4240", and|strong="G3551" self-control|strong="G1466". There|strong="G1510" is|strong="G1510" no|strong="G3756" law|strong="G3551" against|strong="G2596" these|strong="G3588" kinds of|strong="G3551" things|strong="G5108".
24 Those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" belong to|strong="G2532" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424" have|strong="G2532" crucified|strong="G4717" their|strong="G2532" sinful self. They|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2532" given up their|strong="G2532" old selfish feelings and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" evil things|strong="G3588" they|strong="G2532" wanted to|strong="G2532" do|strong="G2532".
25 We|strong="G1487" get|strong="G2198" our|strong="G2532" new life|strong="G2198" from|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" Spirit|strong="G4151", so|strong="G2532" we|strong="G1487" should|strong="G2198" follow|strong="G4748" the|strong="G2532" Spirit|strong="G4151".
26 We must not|strong="G3361" feel proud and|strong="G0240" boast|strong="G1096" about ourselves. We must not|strong="G3361" cause trouble for|strong="G1096" each|strong="G0240" other|strong="G0240" or|strong="G3361" be|strong="G1096" jealous of|strong="G1096" each|strong="G0240" other|strong="G0240".