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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 U stedes corrían bien; ¿quién les impidió el no obedecer a la verdad?

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

8 E sta persuasión no procede de aquel que los llama.

This persuasion is not from Him Who called you.

9 U n poco de levadura fermenta toda la masa.

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

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

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 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.

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 ¡ Cómo quisiera yo que se mutilaran quienes los perturban!

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

13 H ermanos, 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.

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

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

15 P ero 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

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

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

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 P orque 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.

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

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

19 L as obras de la carne se manifiestan en adulterio, fornicación, inmundicia, lascivia,

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

20 i dolatría, hechicerías, enemistades, pleitos, celos, iras, contiendas, disensiones, herejías,

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

21 e nvidias, 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.

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

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

23 m ansedumbre, templanza. Contra tales cosas no hay ley.

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

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

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 S i vivimos por el Espíritu, vivamos también según el Espíritu.

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 N o nos hagamos vanidosos, ni nos irritemos unos a otros, ni sintamos envidia entre nosotros.

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.