Galatians 5

1 For freedom Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be held again in a yoke of slavery. [a] 2 Look — I, Paul, say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. [b] 3 And I testify again to every man who is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are being set right by law; you have fallen out of favor. [c] 5 For we, by the Spirit, out of faith, are eagerly waiting for a hope of righteousness. [d] 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any strength nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love. [e]

7 You were running well. Who cut in on you, so that you do not obey the truth? [f] 8 This persuasion is not from the one who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole of the dough. [g] 10 I am persuaded about you in the Lord that you will think nothing else; but the one who is stirring you up will bear the judgment, whoever he may be. 11 But I, brothers — if I am still proclaiming circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been done away with. [h] 12 I wish that the ones turning you upside down would also cut themselves off. [i]

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers; only do not turn the freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. [j] 14 For the whole law has been fulfilled in one word, in this: “You are to love your neighbor as yourself.” [k] 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

16 And I say: walk by the Spirit, and you will certainly not carry out the desire of flesh. 17 For the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are set against one another, so that you may not do the very things you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19 And the works of the flesh are plain, which are: sexual immorality, uncleanness, indecency, [l] 20 idol-service, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, furies, selfish ambitions, splits, sects, [m] 21 envyings, drunken bouts, carousings, and the things like these — of which I tell you beforehand, just as I told you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom. [n] †

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [o] 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. [p] 24 And those who are of Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in line by the Spirit. [q] 26 Let us not become people of empty glory, provoking one another, envying one another. [r]