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Galatians 5:16-26
WALK BY THE SPIRIT - Aug 30, 2024 -
Galatians 5:1-15
CHRIST SET US FREE - Aug 29, 2024 -
Galatians 5:16-26
KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT - Jul 30, 2020 -
Galatians 5:1-15
CHRIST HAS SET US FREE - Jul 29, 2020 -
Galatians 5:16-26
WALK BY THE SPIRIT - Jun 29, 2016 -
Galatians 5:1-12
FREEDOM IN CHRIST - Jan 01, 2000 -
Galatians 5:13-21
LIVE BY THE SPIRIT - Jan 01, 2000 -
Galatians 5:22-26
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - Jan 01, 2000
HOW TO TRULY KEEP THE LAW
Key verse: 5:14
NIV
Freedom in Christ
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.(A) Stand firm,(B) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.(C)
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,(D) Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.(E) 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law(F) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.(G) 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.(H) 6 For in Christ Jesus(I) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.(J) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.(K)
7 You were running a good race.(L) Who cut in on you(M) to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(N) 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”(O) 10 I am confident(P) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(Q) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(R) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?(S) In that case the offense(T) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,(U) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Life by the Spirit
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.(V) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a];(W) rather, serve one another(X) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](Y) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Footnotes
- Galatians 5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.
- Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18
Cross references
- Galatians 5:1 : ver 13; Jn 8:32; Gal 2:4; S Ro 7:4
- Galatians 5:1 : S 1Co 16:13
- Galatians 5:1 : S Mt 23:4; Gal 2:4
- Galatians 5:2 : ver 3, 6, 11, 12; Ac 15:1
- Galatians 5:3 : Ro 2:25; Gal 3:10; Jas 2:10
- Galatians 5:4 : S Ro 3:28
- Galatians 5:4 : Heb 12:15; 2Pe 3:17
- Galatians 5:5 : Ro 8:23, 24
- Galatians 5:6 : S Ro 16:3
- Galatians 5:6 : S 1Co 7:19
- Galatians 5:6 : 1Th 1:3; Jas 2:22
- Galatians 5:7 : S 1Co 9:24
- Galatians 5:7 : Gal 3:1
- Galatians 5:8 : S Ro 8:28
- Galatians 5:9 : 1Co 5:6
- Galatians 5:10 : S 2Co 2:3
- Galatians 5:10 : Php 3:15
- Galatians 5:10 : ver 12; Gal 1:7
- Galatians 5:11 : Gal 4:29; 6:12
- Galatians 5:11 : S Lk 2:34
- Galatians 5:12 : ver 10
- Galatians 5:13 : S ver 1
- Galatians 5:13 : S ver 24; 1Co 8:9; 1Pe 2:16
- Galatians 5:13 : 1Co 9:19; 2Co 4:5; Eph 5:21
- Galatians 5:14 : Lev 19:18; S Mt 5:43; Gal 6:2
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Christ Has Set Us Free
5 For (A)freedom Christ has (B)set us free; (C)stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to (D)a yoke of (E)slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that (F)if you accept circumcision, (G)Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that (H)he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are (I)severed from Christ, (J)you who would be justified[a] by the law; (K)you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly (L)wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus (M)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but (N)only faith working through love.
7 (O)You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying (P)the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from (Q)him who calls you. 9 (R)A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 (S)I have confidence in the Lord that you will (T)take no other view, and (U)the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers,[b] still preach[c] circumcision, (V)why am I still being persecuted? In that case (W)the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish (X)those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. (Y)Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love (Z)serve one another. 14 For (AA)the whole law is fulfilled in one word: (AB)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you (AC)bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Galatians 5:4 Or counted righteous
- Galatians 5:11 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 13
- Galatians 5:11 Greek proclaim
Cross references
- Galatians 5:1 : ver. 13; ch. 2:4; See James 1:25
- Galatians 5:1 : See John 8:32
- Galatians 5:1 : See 1 Cor. 16:13
- Galatians 5:1 : Acts 15:10
- Galatians 5:1 : See ch. 2:4
- Galatians 5:2 : ver. 3, 11; Acts 15:1; 1 Cor. 7:18
- Galatians 5:2 : See ch. 4:11
- Galatians 5:3 : Rom. 2:25
- Galatians 5:4 : Rom. 7:6 (Gk.)
- Galatians 5:4 : [ch. 2:21; 3:10; Rom. 9:31, 32]
- Galatians 5:4 : [Heb. 12:15; 2 Pet. 3:17]
- Galatians 5:5 : See Rom. 8:23, 25
- Galatians 5:6 : ch. 6:15; 1 Cor. 7:19; Col. 3:11; See ch. 3:28
- Galatians 5:6 : [Eph. 6:23; 1 Thess. 1:3; James 2:18, 20, 22]
- Galatians 5:7 : See 1 Cor. 9:24
- Galatians 5:7 : See ch. 2:5
- Galatians 5:8 : ch. 1:6
- Galatians 5:9 : 1 Cor. 5:6; [1 Cor. 15:33; Heb. 12:15]
- Galatians 5:10 : See 2 Cor. 2:3
- Galatians 5:10 : [Phil. 3:15]
- Galatians 5:10 : ch. 1:7; [ver. 12]
- Galatians 5:11 : ch. 4:29; 6:12
- Galatians 5:11 : 1 Cor. 1:23; See 1 Pet. 2:8
- Galatians 5:12 : [ver. 10]; See ch. 2:4
- Galatians 5:13 : 1 Pet. 2:16; Jude 4; [1 Cor. 8:9; 2 Pet. 2:19]
- Galatians 5:13 : 1 Cor. 9:19
- Galatians 5:14 : [Matt. 7:12; 22:40]
- Galatians 5:14 : Cited from Lev. 19:18; [ver. 22; ch. 6:2]; See Matt. 19:19; John 13:34
- Galatians 5:15 : [Phil. 3:2]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
First, Love, not circumcision, is what counts (1-6). Christ has set us free. But some wondered if they needed circumcision. They thought that at least, it wouldn't hurt. However, allowing oneself to be circumcised in that situation was akin to submitting oneself under the whole law. Paul strongly warned against it. Righteousness does not come from keeping the law. Righteousness has already been promised through Christ. The Holy Spirit enables us to wait eagerly. What matters is not meticulously keeping the law but expressing our faith through loving God and others. Second, do not indulge the flesh (7-15). The false teachers had severely intruded into the Galatians' spiritual race. Their influence had a huge, negative impact. But Paul was sure that God would help the Galatians to discern the truth and live by it. The truth is that Christ has set us free. We must not selfishly abuse that freedom but use that freedom to humbly serve others. We truly keep the law not through physical circumcision but when we love our neighbors as ourselves.
Prayer: Lord, help me to express my faith through loving others and sharing Jesus Christ with them.
One Word: Express faith in love