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.

Manténganse, pues, firmes en la libertad con que Cristo nos hizo libres, y no se sometan otra vez al yugo de la esclavitud.

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].

Miren que yo, Pablo, les digo que si se circuncidan, de nada les aprovechará Cristo.

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.

Y otra vez testifico a todo hombre que se circuncida, que está obligado a cumplir toda la ley.

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).

Ustedes, los que por la ley se justifican, se han desligado de Cristo; han caído de la gracia.

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.

Pues nosotros por el Espíritu aguardamos, por fe, la esperanza de la justicia.

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.

Porque en Cristo Jesús nada valen la circuncisión ni la incircuncisión, sino la fe que obra por el amor.

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

Ustedes corrían bien; ¿quién les impidió el no obedecer a la verdad?

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

Esta persuasión no procede de aquel que los llama.

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

Un poco de levadura fermenta toda la masa.

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.

Yo confío respecto de ustedes, en el Señor, que no pensarán de otro modo; pero el que los perturba, quienquiera que sea, llevará la sentencia.

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).

Y yo, hermanos, si aún predicara la circuncisión, ¿por qué habría de padecer todavía persecución? En tal caso, se habría quitado el tropiezo de la cruz.

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

¡Cómo quisiera yo que se mutilaran quienes los perturban!

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.

Hermanos, ustedes han sido llamados a la libertad, sólo que no usen la libertad como pretexto para pecar; más bien, sírvanse los unos a los otros por amor.

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

Porque toda la ley se cumple en esta sola palabra: «Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo.»

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

Pero si ustedes se muerden y se devoran los unos a los otros, tengan cuidado de no consumirse también los unos a los otros. Las obras de la carne y el fruto del Espíritu

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).

Digo, pues: Vivan según el Espíritu, y no satisfagan los deseos de la carne.

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.

Porque el deseo de la carne se opone al Espíritu, y el del Espíritu se opone a la carne; y éstos se oponen entre sí para que ustedes no hagan lo que quisieran hacer.

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

Pero si ustedes son guiados por el Espíritu, no están ya sujetos a la ley.

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

Las obras de la carne se manifiestan en adulterio, fornicación, inmundicia, lascivia,

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

idolatría, hechicerías, enemistades, pleitos, celos, iras, contiendas, disensiones, herejías,

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.

envidias, homicidios, borracheras, orgías, y cosas semejantes a éstas. Acerca de ellas les advierto, como ya antes les he dicho, que los que practican tales cosas no heredarán el reino de Dios.

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

Pero el fruto del Espíritu es amor, gozo, paz, paciencia, benignidad, bondad, fe,

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

mansedumbre, templanza. Contra tales cosas no hay ley.

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.

Y los que son de Cristo han crucificado la carne con sus pasiones y deseos.

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.]

Si vivimos por el Espíritu, vivamos también según el Espíritu.

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.

No nos hagamos vanidosos, ni nos irritemos unos a otros, ni sintamos envidia entre nosotros.