Stand Fast in Liberty

51 Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again. 2 See, I Paul say to you, that if you undergo circumcision, Christ will be of no use to you. 3 Yes, I give witness again to every man who undergoes circumcision, that he will have to keep all the law. 4 You are cut off from Christ, you who would have righteousness by the law; you are turned away from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit by faith are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 Because in Christ Jesus, having circumcision or not having circumcision are equally of no profit; but only faith working through love. 7 You were going on well; who was the cause of your not giving ear to what is true? 8 This ready belief did not come from him who had made you his. 9 A little leaven makes a change in all the mass. 10 I am certain about you in the Lord, that you will be of no other mind; but he who is troubling you will have his punishment, whoever he is. 11 But I, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still attacked? then has the shame of the cross been taken away. 12 My desire is that they who give you trouble might even be cut off themselves.

13 Because you, brothers, were marked out to be free; only do not make use of your free condition to give the flesh its chance, but through love be servants one to another. 14 For all the law is made complete in one word, even in this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself. 15 But if you are given to fighting with one another, take care that you are not the cause of destruction one to another.

The Fruit of the Spirit and the Works of the Flesh

16 But I say, Go on in the Spirit, and you will not come under the rule of the evil desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; because these are opposite the one to the other; so that you may not do the things which you have a mind to do. 18 But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are clear, which are these: evil desire, unclean things, wrong use of the senses, 20 Worship of images, use of strange powers, hates, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings, 21 Envy, uncontrolled drinking and feasting, and such things: of which I give you word clearly, even as I did in the past, that they who do such things will have no part in the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, a quiet mind, kind acts, well-doing, faith, 23 Gentle behaviour, control over desires: against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have put to death on the cross the flesh with its passions and its evil desires. 25 If we are living by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us be guided. 26 Let us not be full of self-glory, making one another angry, having envy of one another.

The Spirit Received through Faith

31 O foolish Galatians, by what strange powers have you been tricked, to whom it was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross? 2 Give me an answer to this one question, Did the Spirit come to you through the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? having made a start in the Spirit, will you now be made complete in the flesh? 4 Did you undergo such a number of things to no purpose? if it is in fact to no purpose. 5 He who gives you the Spirit, and does works of power among you, is it by the works of law, or by the hearing of faith?

God's Covenant with Abraham

6 Even as Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness. 7 Be certain, then, that those who are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. 8 And the holy Writings, seeing before the event that God would give the Gentiles righteousness by faith, gave the good news before to Abraham, saying, In you will all the nations have a blessing. 9 So then those who are of faith have a part in the blessing of Abraham who was full of faith. 10 For all who are of the works of the law are under a curse: because it is said in the Writings, A curse is on everyone who does not keep on doing all the things which are ordered in the book of the law. 11 Now that no man gets righteousness by the law in the eyes of God, is clear; because, The upright will be living by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith; but, He who does them will have life by them. 13 Christ has made us free from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us: because it is said in the Writings, A curse on everyone who is put to death by hanging on a tree: 14 So that on the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; in order that we through faith might have the Spirit which God had undertaken to give. 15 Brothers, as men would say, even a man's agreement, when it has been made certain, may not be put on one side, or have additions made to it. 16 Now to Abraham were the undertakings given, and to his seed. He says not, And to seeds, as of a great number; but as of one, he says, And to your seed, which is Christ. 17 Now this I say: The law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not put an end to the agreement made before by God, so as to make the undertaking without effect. 18 Because if the heritage is by the law, it is no longer dependent on the word of God; but God gave it to Abraham by his word.

The Purpose of the Law

19 What then is the law? It was an addition made because of sin, till the coming of the seed to whom the undertaking had been given; and it was ordered through angels by the hand of a go-between. 20 Now a go-between is not a go-between of one; but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the words of God? in no way; because if there had been a law which was able to give life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 However, the holy Writings have put all things under sin, so that that for which God gave the undertaking, based on faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who have such faith. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in prison under the law, waiting for the revelation of the faith which was to come. 24 So the law has been a servant to take us to Christ, so that we might have righteousness by faith. 25 But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a servant. 26 Because you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all those of you who were given baptism into Christ did put on Christ. 28 There is no Jew or Greek, servant or free, male or female: because you are all one in Jesus Christ. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and yours is the heritage by the right of God's undertaking given to Abraham.