Study Desk

Freedom in Christ

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.^(a) Stand firm,^(b) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.^(c)

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,^(d) Christ will be of no value to you at all.

Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.^(e)

You who are trying to be justified by the law^(f) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.^(g)

For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.^(h)

For in Christ Jesus⁽ⁱ⁾ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.^(j) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.^(k)

You were running a good race.^(l) Who cut in on you^(m) to keep you from obeying the truth?

That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.⁽ⁿ⁾

"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."^(o)

I am confident^(p) in the Lord that you will take no other view.^(q) The one who is throwing you into confusion,^(r) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.

Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?^(s) In that case the offense^(t) of the cross has been abolished.

As for those agitators,^(u) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.^(v) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a];^(w) rather, serve one another^(x) humbly in love.

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."^[b](y)

If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

So I say, walk by the Spirit,^(z) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.^(aa)

For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.^(ab) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever^[c] you want.^(ac)

But if you are led by the Spirit,^(ad) you are not under the law.^(ae)

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,^(af) impurity and debauchery;

idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.^(ag) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.^(ah)

But the fruit^(ai) of the Spirit is love,^(aj) joy, peace,^(ak) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness and self-control.^(al) Against such things there is no law.^(am)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh^(an) with its passions and desires.^(ao)

Since we live by the Spirit,^(ap) let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Let us not become conceited,^(aq) provoking and envying each other.