1 C hrist has set us free in freedom; stand fast therefore, and be not held again in a yoke of bondage.

In 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.

2 B ehold, I, Paul, say to you, that if ye are circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

Notice, 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].

3 A nd I witness again to every man circumcised, that he is debtor to do the whole law.

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.

4 Y e are deprived of all profit from the Christ as separated, as many as are justified by law; ye have fallen from grace.

If 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).

5 F or we, by Spirit, on the principle of faith, await the hope of righteousness.

For 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.

6 F or in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any force, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.

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

7 Y e ran well; who has stopped you that ye should not obey the truth?

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

8 T he persuasibleness not of him that calls you.

This persuasion is not from Him Who called you.

9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

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

10 I have confidence as to you in Lord, that ye will have no other mind; and he that is troubling you shall bear the guilt, whosoever he may be.

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.

11 B ut I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why am I yet persecuted? Then the scandal of the cross has been done away.

But, 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).

12 I would that they would even cut themselves off who throw you into confusion.

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

13 F or ye have been called to liberty, brethren; only not liberty into an opportunity to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

For 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.

14 F or the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;

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

15 b ut if ye bite and devour one another, see that ye are not consumed one of another.

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

16 B ut I say, Walk in Spirit, and ye shall no way fulfil flesh's lust.

But 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).

17 F or the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these things are opposed one to the other, that ye should not do those things which ye desire;

For 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.

18 b ut if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under law.

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

19 N ow the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness,

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

20 i dolatry, sorcery, hatred, strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, disputes, schools of opinion,

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

21 e nvyings, murders, drunkennesses, revels, and things like these; as to which I tell you beforehand, even as I also have said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit God's kingdom.

Envy, 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.

22 B ut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity,

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

23 m eekness, self-control: against such things there is no law.

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

24 B ut they that of the Christ have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts.

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

25 I f we live by the Spirit, let us walk also by the Spirit.

If 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.]

26 L et us not become vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

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