Galaten 5:13

Staten Vertaling

Want gij zijt tot vrijheid geroepen, broeders, alleenlijk gebruikt de vrijheid niet tot een oorzaak voor het vlees; maar dient elkander door de liefde.

Parallel Translations

Gereviseerde Leidse Vertaling
Gij toch, broeders, zijt geroepen tot vrijheid. Misbruikt slechts niet de vrijheid om aan de vleselijke neigingen den teugel te vieren, maar dient elkander door de liefde.

Gereviseerde Lutherse Vertaling
Want gij, broeders, zijt tot vrijheid geroepen; alleenlijk ziet toe, dat gij door de vrijheid geen ruimte geeft aan het vlees, maar door de liefde diene de een den ander.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye: Galatians 5:1, Galatians 4:5-7, Galatians 4:22-31, Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18, John 8:32-36, Romans 6:18-22

only: 1 Corinthians 8:9, 1 Peter 2:16, 2 Peter 2:19, Jude 1:4, Jude 1:10 -12

but: Galatians 5:14, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 6:2, Mark 10:43-45, John 13:14, John 13:15, Acts 20:35, Romans 15:1, Romans 15:2, 1 Corinthians 9:19, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 2 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 12:15, 1 Thessalonians 1:3, James 2:15-17, 1 John 3:16-19

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:6 - three Genesis 18:8 - stood Leviticus 25:10 - proclaim Leviticus 25:55 - my servants Joshua 1:15 - Until Isaiah 14:2 - and the house Daniel 4:27 - by showing Malachi 4:4 - the law Matthew 5:43 - Thou Matthew 7:12 - for Matthew 23:11 - General Matthew 25:40 - Inasmuch Luke 10:27 - and thy John 13:34 - That ye love Acts 16:33 - washed Romans 6:22 - But now Romans 12:10 - kindly Romans 13:9 - love Romans 14:15 - now 1 Corinthians 7:22 - is the 1 Corinthians 9:21 - not 1 Corinthians 13:5 - seeketh 1 Corinthians 13:13 - the greatest 1 Corinthians 16:14 - General 2 Corinthians 2:8 - that Galatians 2:4 - liberty Galatians 4:31 - we Galatians 5:19 - the works Ephesians 1:4 - love Ephesians 4:16 - edifying Philippians 3:2 - evil 1 Thessalonians 3:12 - love 1 Timothy 1:5 - the end Hebrews 6:10 - work Hebrews 10:24 - love Hebrews 13:1 - General James 2:14 - though 2 Peter 1:9 - lacketh 1 John 2:7 - but 1 John 3:18 - let 2 John 1:6 - this is love

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty,.... He calls them "brethren", to testify his affection to them, and to put them in mind of their relation to one another, which required mutual love, a thing he is about to press them to; he asserts that they were "called" not merely externally, but internally, by the effectual grace of God, out of bondage to sin, Satan, and the law, unto the liberty of the Gospel and of the grace of God; that liberty wherewith Christ had made them free, Galatians 5:1 this he said in a judgment of charity, hoping well of them:

only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh; corrupt nature, which in unregenerate men takes encouragement from, and makes an ill use of the best of things, as the mercy and patience of God; and not only takes an occasion by the law, forbidding sin to work and stir up all manner of concupiscence; but also by the Gospel, and the doctrines of it, such as eternal election, free justification, c. which though the source and fountain, the barrier and security, of all true and real holiness, are improved and abused by wicked minds, under the influence and instigation of Satan, to vile purposes and though regenerate persons are not in the flesh, and do not live after it, yet that is in them, and there is a proneness in them to sin; and Satan is watching all opportunities and advantages against them; so that there is need for such a caution as this, that they do not misuse their Christian liberty by indulging the flesh and the lusts of it, which is apt to take an occasion to cherish its lusts, and especially when given: Christ's free men should not do so, for that is to disgrace the doctrine of Christian liberty, to enthral themselves in, bondage instead of using their liberty aright, and to give the enemy occasion to blaspheme: the doctrine of Christian liberty may bc abused, or used as an occasion to the flesh, and to fulfil the lusts of it; when under a pretence thereof men think themselves exempt from obedience to the civil magistrate, which is using this liberty as a cloak of maliciousness; or that they are free from obedience to the law of God, as a rule of walk and conversation; or from subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel; or when they use the creatures God has given them the free use of without thankfulness, and in an immoderate manner; and when they make things indifferent which are not, or use indifferent things to the prejudice of others; and their liberty becomes a stumblingblock to weak Christians, which the apostle seems greatly to regard here; since he adds,

but by love serve one another: the Vulgate Latin version reads, "by the love of the Spirit": and so some copies; Gospel liberty and the service of the saints are not at all inconsistent; as it becomes them to love one another, as the new command of Christ, their profession of religion, and their relation to each other, require, so they should show their love by their service; as by praying one with and for another, by bearing each other's burdens, sympathizing with and communicating to each other in things temporal and spiritual; in forbearing with and forgiving one another; by admonishing each other when there is occasion for it, in a meek, tender, and brotherly way; by instructing and building up one another on their most holy faith, and by stirring up one another to all the duties of religion, private and public.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty - Freedom from Jewish rites and ceremonies; see the notes at Galatians 3:28; Galatians 4:9, note, Galatians 4:21-31, note. The meaning here is, that Paul wished the false teachers removed because true Christians had been called unto liberty, and they were abridging and destroying that liberty. They were not in subjection to the Law of Moses, or to anything else that savored of bondage. They were free; free from the servitude of sin, and free from subjection to expensive and burdensome rites and customs. They were to remember this as a great and settled principle; and so vital a truth was this, and so important that it should be maintained, and so great the evil of forgetting it, that Paul says he earnestly wishes Galatians 5:12 that all who would reduce them to that state of servitude were cut off from the Christian church.

Only use not liberty ... - The word use here introduced by our translators, obscures the sense. The idea is, “You are called to liberty, but it is not liberty for an occasion to the flesh. It is not freedom from virtuous restraints, and from the laws of God. It is liberty from the servitude of sin, and religious rites and ceremonies, not freedom from the necessary restraints of virtue.” It was necessary to give this caution, because:

(1) There was a strong tendency in all converts from paganism to relapse again into their former habits. Licentiousness abounded, and where they had been addicted to it before their conversion, and where they were surrounded by it on every hand, they were in constant danger of falling into it again. A bare and naked declaration, therefore, that they had been called to liberty, to freedom from restraint, might have been misunderstood, and some might have supposed that they were free from all restraints.

(2) It is needful to guard the doctrine from abuse at all times. There has been a strong tendency, as the history of the church has shown, to abuse the doctrine of grace. The doctrine that Christians are “free;” that there is liberty to them from restraint, has been perverted always by Antinomians, and been made the occasion of their indulging freely in sin. And the result has shown that nothing was more important than to guard the doctrine of Christian liberty, and to show exactly what Christians are freed from, and what laws are still binding on them. Paul is, therefore, at great pains to show that the doctrines which he had maintained did not lead to licentiousness, and did not allow the indulgence of sinful and corrupt passions.

An occasion - As allowing indulgence to the flesh, or as a furtherance or help to corrupt passions; see the word explained in the notes at Romans 7:8.

To the flesh - The word flesh is often used in the writings of Paul to denote corrupt and gross passions and affections; see the notes at Romans 7:18; Romans 8:1, note.

But by love serve one another - By the proper manifestation of love one to another strive to promote each other’s welfare. To do this will not be inconsistent with the freedom of the gospel. When there is love there is no servitude. Duty is pleasant, and offices of kindness agreeable. Paul does not consider them as freed from all law and all restraint; but they are to be governed by the law of love. They were not to feel that they were so free that they might lawfully give indulgence to the desires of the flesh, but they were to regard themselves as under the law to love one another; and thus they would fulfil the law of Christian freedom.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 13. Ye have been called unto liberty — A total freedom from all the burthensome rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law. Only use not that liberty for an occasion to the flesh. By flesh, here, we may understand all the unrenewed desires and propensities of the mind; whatsoever is not under the influence and guidance of the Holy Spirit of God. Your liberty is from that which would oppress the spirit; not from that which would lay restraints on the flesh. The Gospel proclaims liberty from the ceremonial law: but binds you still faster under the moral law. To be freed from the ceremonial law is the Gospel liberty; to pretend freedom from the moral law is Antinomianism.

By love serve one another. — Having that faith which worketh by love, serve each other to the uttermost of your power: δουλευετε, serve each other, when necessary, as slaves serve their masters. Several excellent MSS. and versions, instead of δια της αγαπης, by love, have τῃ αγαπῃ του Πνευματος, in the love of the Spirit serve one another.