Live In Freedom And Love One Another
1 Christ set us free [from condemnation under the law of Moses], so we could stay free! Remain where you are then, and do not get tangled up again in the enslaving harness [of the law of Moses].
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
1 (a)(A)It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore (B)keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a (C)yoke of slavery.
1 Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm(A) then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.(B)
1 The Messiah has set us free so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. So keep on standing firm in it, and stop putting yourselves under the yoke of slavery again.
2 Look, I Paul am telling you that, if you revert to [the practice of] circumcision [i.e., the Jewish rite of identity, signifying the responsibility to observe the law of Moses], then Christ's [sacrifice] will be of no value to you.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
2 Behold I, (D)Paul, say to you that if you receive (E)circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
2 Take note! I, Paul, tell you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all.
2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, the Messiah will be of no benefit to you.
3 Yes, I declare to every person who attempts to require circumcision [as a means of gaining acceptance with God], that he must also obey everything else required by the law of Moses.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
3 And I (F)testify again to every man who receives (G)circumcision, that he is under obligation to (H)keep the whole Law.
3 Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to keep the entire law.
3 Again, I insist that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire Law.
4 Those of you who seek to be right with God by observing the requirements of the law of Moses have severed yourselves from [your relationship with] Christ; you have fallen away from God's unearned favor.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
4 You have been severed from Christ, you who (b)are seeking to be justified by law; you have (I)fallen from grace.
4 You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.(C)
4 Those of you who are trying to be justified by the Law have been cut off from the Messiah. You have fallen away from grace.
6 For in [our relationship with] Christ neither the practice of circumcision nor refraining from its practice matters in any way; but [all that really matters is having a genuine] faith [in Christ] that causes us to work [for Him] out of a genuine love [for Him and others].
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
6 For in (K)Christ Jesus (L)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but (M)faith working through love.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith(F) working through love.(G)
6 for in union with the Messiah Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. What matters is faith expressed through love.
7 You [Christians] were running [the race of life] well; who hindered you [from making further progress] so that [now] you are no longer obeying the truth?
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
7 You were running the race beautifully. Who cut in on you and stopped you from obeying the truth?
10 [However], I have confidence in you, since we both have a relationship with the Lord, that you will not think differently [than I do] about this matter. But whoever is causing you trouble will be rightfully judged [and punished] for it.
10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
10 (Q)I have confidence (e)in you in the Lord that you (R)will adopt no other view; but the one who is (S)disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
10 I have confidence in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty.(J)
10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view of this. However, the one who is troubling you will suffer God's judgment, whoever he is.
11 But, brothers, if I were still preaching [that a person had] to be circumcised, why am I being persecuted? [Note: Paul's argument seems to be "I must not be preaching circumcision since I am being persecuted by those who believe in it"]. [If I preached that a person had to be circumcised] then my preaching that Christ died on the cross would not be such an offense [to those who believe in it].
11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still (T)persecuted? Then (U)the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.
11 Now brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross(K) has been abolished.
11 As for me, brothers, if I am still preaching the necessity of circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
12 I wish that those who are causing such a problem over wanting people to be circumcised would just mutilate themselves [while they are at it!].
12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
12 I wish those who are disturbing you might also get themselves castrated!
12 I wish that those who are upsetting you would castrate themselves!
Practice Love
13 For you brothers were called [by God] to enjoy your freedom; but do not use this freedom as an excuse for living a sinful life; instead, use it to render loving service to each other.
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
13 For you were called to (X)freedom, brethren; (Y)only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love (Z)serve one another.
13 For you were called(L) to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
13 For 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.
14 For the whole law of Moses can be fulfilled by [obeying this] one requirement [Lev. 19:18]: "You should love your neighbor the way you love yourself."
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
14 For (AA)the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “(AB)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
14 For the whole Law is summarized in a single statement: "You must love your neighbor as yourself."
15 But if you [unlovingly] bite and eat one another [i.e., figuratively], be careful that you do not totally consume one another.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you are not destroyed by each other.
Live By The Spirit And Reject The Deeds Of The Flesh
16 But, I am saying to you, live in harmony with the Holy Spirit's [desire for you] and [then] you will not [always] be giving in to the wrong desires of your body.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never fulfill the desires of the flesh.
17 For what your body wants is in conflict with what the Holy Spirit wants [for you], and what the Holy Spirit wants conflicts with what your body wants, for these [two desires] are contrary to one another, so that you do not [always] do what you [really] want to.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
17 For (AF)the flesh (g)sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, (AG)so that you may not do the things that you (h)please.
17 For the flesh desires(Q) what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.(R)
17 For 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.
18 But, if you are led by [what] the Holy Spirit [wants you to do], you are not under [obligation to meet the requirements of] the law of Moses.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
18 But if you are being led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
19 Now those things done by the sinful, physical nature [of a person] are evident; they are these: sexual immorality, moral impurity, indecent conduct,
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious:(b)(c) sexual immorality,(S) moral impurity,(T) promiscuity,(U)
19 Now the actions of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity,
20 idol worship, occultic practices, hatefulness, dissension, jealousy, angry outbursts, factious spirits, divisiveness, party spirits,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
20 idolatry, (AK)sorcery, enmities, (AL)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, (AM)disputes, dissensions, (j)(AN)factions,
20 idolatry,(V) sorcery,(W) hatreds,(X) strife,(Y) jealousy,(Z) outbursts of anger,(AA) selfish ambitions,(AB) dissensions,(AC) factions,(AD)
20 idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, rivalry, jealously, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you again, as I have done before, that those people who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
21 envying, (AO)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not (AP)inherit the kingdom of God.
21 envy,(d)(AE) drunkenness, carousing,(AF) and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.(AG)
21 envy, murder, 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.
22 But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
22 But (AQ)the fruit of the Spirit is (AR)love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
22 But the fruit of the Spirit(AH) is love,(AI) joy,(AJ) peace, patience,(AK) kindness,(AL) goodness, faith,(e)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
24 And those persons who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified [i.e., put out of their lives, Col. 3:4ff] the sinful cravings of the body, along with their passionate desires.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
24 Now those who (k)belong to (AU)Christ Jesus have (AV)crucified the flesh with its passions and (AW)desires.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus(AO) have crucified the flesh(AP) with its passions and desires.(AQ)
24 Now those who belong to the Messiah Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.