1 ¶ Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with the yoke of slavery.

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 unto you that if ye become 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 F or I testify again to every man that becomes circumcised that he is a 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 empty of the Christ, whosoever of you that justify yourselves by the law; ye are 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 through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

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 avails anything nor uncircumcision, but faith which works by charity.

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 did run well; who hindered you that ye should not trust in 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 his persuasion does not come of him that called 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 in you through the Lord that ye will not be otherwise minded, but he that troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.

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 A nd I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offence of the cross ceased.

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 even desire that those who trouble you would cut themselves off.

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

13 ¶ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only do not use liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by charity 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 all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 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, take heed 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 T his I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

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 are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

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 of the Spirit, ye are not under the 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 these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

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

20 i dolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

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

21 e nvyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; which I denounce, as I have also told you in time past that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

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 this: Charity, joy, peace, tolerance, gentleness, goodness, faith,

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

23 m eekness, temperance: against such 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 F or those that are of the Christ have crucified the flesh with its affections and 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 also walk in 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 be desirous of vain glory, 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.