Live in the Freedom that the Messiah Provides

1The Messiaha has set us free so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom.b So keep on standing firm in it, and stop putting yourselves under the yoke of slavery again. 2Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, the Messiahc will be of no benefit to you. 3Again, I insistd that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire Law. 4Those of you who are trying to be justified by the Law have been cut off from the Messiah.e You have fallen away from grace.

5Through the Spirit by faith we confidently await the fulfillment of our righteous hope, 6for in union with the Messiahf Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. What matters is faithg expressed through love.

7You were running the race beautifully. Who cut in on you and stopped you from obeying the truth? 8Such influence does not come from the one who calls you. 9A little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough. 10I am confidenth in the Lord that you will take no other view of this. However, the one who is troubling you will suffer God’si judgment, whoever he is. 11As for me, brothers, if I am still preaching the necessity ofj circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12I wish that those who are upsetting you would castrate themselves!

13For you, brothers, were called to freedom. Only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity to gratify your flesh, but through love make it your habit to serve one another. 14For the whole Law is summarized in a single statement: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”k 15But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you are not destroyed by each other. 16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never fulfill the desires of the flesh. 17For what the flesh wants is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, and so you do not do what you want to do. 18But if you are being led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

19Now the actions of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity, 20idolatry, witchcraft,l hatred, rivalry, jealously, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions, 21envy, murder,m drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that. I am telling you now, as I have told you in the past, that people who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,n 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24Now those who belong to the Messiaho Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also be guided. 26Let’s stop being arrogant, provoking one another and envying one another.