Brothers, let me use an example from everyday life. Once an agreement has been ratified, no one can cancel it or add conditions to it.

Why then was the Law given? It was imposed later on for the sake of defining sin, until the seed should come to whom God had made the promise; and its details were laid down by a mediator with the help of angels.

the law, then, is against the promises of God? -- let it not be! for if a law was given that was able to make alive, truly by law there would have been the righteousness,

with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith.

I am afraid for you, [i.e., for your spiritual safety], that possibly I may have spent a lot of effort on your behalf for nothing.

for it is written, "rejoice thou barren, that bearest not; break out into loud acclamations, thou that hast not the travels of childbirth, for more are the children of the desolate, than of her that hath an husband."

Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.

Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all!

Ye did run well. Who was a let unto you, that ye should not obey the truth?

For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another.

And if ye bite and devour one another, see ye that ye be not laid waste by one another.

This then is what I mean. Let your lives be guided by the Spirit, and then you will certainly not indulge the cravings of your lower natures.

But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Brethren, if anybody be detected in any misconduct, you who are spiritual should restore such a one in a spirit of meekness. And let each of you keep watch over himself, lest he also fall into temptation.

For if anyone thinks he is something [special] when [in fact] he is nothing [special except in his own eyes], he deceives himself.

But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

For every person will have to bear [with patience] his own burden [of faults and shortcomings for which he alone is responsible].

Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

Be not led astray; God is not mocked; for what a man may sow -- that also he shall reap,

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

These men who are trying to force you to let yourselves be circumcised want to present a good appearance externally, to save themselves from having to stand persecution for the cross of Jesus the Christ.

Why, even those who let themselves be circumcised do not observe the Law themselves! But they want you to let yourselves be circumcised so that they can boast of that physical fact about you!

And for me, let it not be -- to glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which to me the world hath been crucified, and I to the world;

From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

according as he had chosen us in him through love, before the foundation of the world was laid, that we should be saints, and without blame before him, through love.

and in arranging, when the time should have fully come, that everything in heaven and on earth should be unified in Christ??11 the Christ through whom it is our lot to have been predestined by the design of him who in everything carries out the purpose of his will,

in whom we were also chosen by lot, having been predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things within us according to the counsel of his own will;

which is the earnest of our inheritance, to redeem the possession purchased, and that unto the laud of his glory.

And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people),

You have been built up upon the foundation laid by the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus himself being 'the corner- stone.'

by the reading whereof you may perceive how far I am let into the secret of Christ.

and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.

and through your faith to let Christ in his love make his home in your hearts. Your roots must be deep and your foundations strong,

So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation],

Let there be but one Lord, one faith, one baptism:

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed like waves and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, or by clever strategies that would lead us astray.

But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.

who without remorse, have abandon'd themselves to brutality, in gratifying every lewd unnatural passion.

Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin].

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Let it then be your desire to be like God, as well-loved children;

and lead lives of love, just as Christ loved you and gave himself up for you to be a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Let there be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse [obscene or vulgar] joking, because such things are not appropriate [for believers]; but instead speak of your thankfulness [to God].

For this ye know, that no lewd, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

(for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

trying to learn [by experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [and letting your lifestyles be examples of what is most acceptable to Him—your behavior expressing gratitude to God for your salvation].

Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them [by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character];

But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Therefore be very careful how you live and act. Let it not be as unwise men, but as wise.

expressing yourselves in psalms, in hymns, and spiritual songs; and let your hearts beat the time, in concerts of praises to the Lord,

Always and for everything let your thanks to God the Father be presented in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Let wives [be subject] to their husbands as to the Lord,

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

You husband, love your spouse, even as Christ loved the church, and laid down his life for her:

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Let it not be in acts of eye-service as if you had but to please men, but as Christ's bondservants who are doing God's will from the heart.

Finally, my brothers, let your hearts be strengthened in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

stand firm, the belt of truth round your waist, let justice invest you like mail:

let salvation be your helmet, and the divine doctrine your spiritual sword.

I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.

Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible love.

filled with the fruits of righteousness, which fruits come by Jesus Christ unto the glory and laud of God.

because I know this will lead to my deliverance through your prayers and help from the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

but if to live in flesh is my lot, this is for me worth the while: and what I shall choose I cannot tell.

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

but laid it aside to take on the nature of a slave and become like other men.

And being seen in form as a man, he took the lowest place, and let himself be put to death, even the death of the cross.

so that you may prove to be blameless and spotless, faultless children of God in a crooked and perverted age, in which you shine as light-bearers in the world as you continue

A word of light, holding forth, - as a matter of boasting unto me, for the day of Christ, - that, not in vain, I ran, nor, in vain, I toiled: -

receive him then in the Lord with all alacrity, and let such be the objects of your esteem:

Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.

Brethren, I could not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do , forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].

In conclusion, Brothers, wherever you find anything true or honorable, righteous or pure, lovable or praiseworthy, or if 'virtue' and 'honour' have any meaning, there let your thoughts dwell.

I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

so that you may lead a life that is worthy of the Lord and give him entire satisfaction. May you be fruitful and increase in the doing of all good, as you thus know God!

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

What I mean is, let nobody mislead you by specious arguments.

Since you have had the messiah, even Jesus the Lord, brought to you, lead your life in him,

See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.