Galatians 5:1-15 - 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]. 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. 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. 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. ⁵ For we are waiting for the hope [to be fulfilled] of being made right with God by [the power of] the Holy Spirit. 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].

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? ⁸ [Your] being persuaded [to do this] was not motivated by God, who called you [into His fellowship]. ⁹ A little bit of yeast permeates the whole batch of dough [i.e., a few people can influence everyone else to do the wrong thing in this matter]. 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. 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]. 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!].

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. 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." ¹⁵ But if you [unlovingly] bite and eat one another [i.e., figuratively], be careful that you do not totally consume one another.