1 I n freedom Christ has made us free; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2 N otice, it is I, Paul, who tells you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no profit (advantage, avail) to you '> for if you distrust Him, you can gain nothing from Him].

Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

3 I once more protest and testify to every man who receives circumcision that he is under obligation and bound to practice the whole of the Law and its ordinances.

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

4 I f you seek to be justified and declared righteous and to be given a right standing with God through the Law, you are brought to nothing and so separated (severed) from Christ. You have fallen away from grace (from God’s gracious favor and unmerited blessing).

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

5 F or we, through the Spirit’s, by faith anticipate and wait for the blessing and good for which our righteousness and right standing with God '> conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action, causes us] to hope.

For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

6 F or in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

7 Y ou were running the race nobly. Who has interfered in (hindered and stopped you from) your heeding and following the Truth?

Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

8 T his persuasion is not from Him Who called you.

This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

9 A little leaven (a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers) leavens the whole lump.

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no contrary view of the matter but will come to think with me. But he who is unsettling you, whoever he is, will have to bear the penalty.

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.

11 B ut, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still suffering persecution? In that case the cross has ceased to be a stumbling block and is made meaningless (done away).

And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

12 I wish those who unsettle and confuse you would '> go all the way and] cut themselves off!

I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

13 F or you, brethren, were called to freedom; only freedom be an incentive to your flesh and an opportunity or excuse '> selfishness], but through love you should serve one another.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14 F or the whole Law is complied with in the one precept, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15 B ut if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you are not consumed by one another.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16 B ut I say, walk and live in the Spirit; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 F or the desires of the flesh are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other, so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.

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.

18 B ut if you are guided (led) by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.

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

19 N ow the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 I dolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 E nvy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

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.

22 B ut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 G entleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law '> that can bring a charge].

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 A nd those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 I f we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. '> we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]

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

26 L et us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another.

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