New International Version NIV
New International Reader's Version NIRV
1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
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Christ has set us free. He wants us to enjoy freedom. So stand firm. Don't let the chains of slavery hold you again.
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
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Here is what I, Paul, say to you. Don't let yourselves be circumcised. If you do, Christ won't be of any value to you.
3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
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I say it again. Every man who lets himself be circumcised must obey the whole law.
4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
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Some of you are trying to be made right with God by obeying the law. You have been separated from Christ. You have fallen away from God's grace.
5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
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But we expect to be made completely holy because of our faith in Christ. Through the Holy Spirit we wait in hope.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
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Circumcision and uncircumcision aren't worth anything to those who believe in Christ Jesus. The only thing that really counts is faith that shows itself through love.
7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
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You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?
8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.
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The One who chooses you does not keep you from obeying the truth.
9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”
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You should know that "just a little yeast works its way through the whole batch of dough."
10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.
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The Lord makes me certain that you will not think in any other way. The one who has gotten you all mixed up will pay the price. It doesn't matter who that may be.
11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
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Brothers and sisters, I am not still preaching that people must be circumcised. If I were, why am I still being opposed? If that were what I preach, then the cross wouldn't upset anyone.
12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
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So then, what about troublemakers who try to get others to be circumcised? I wish they would go the whole way! I wish they would cut off everything that marks them as men!
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
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My brothers and sisters, you were chosen to be free. But don't use your freedom as an excuse to live in sin. Instead, serve one another in love.
14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
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The whole law can be found in a single command. "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."(Leviticus 19:18)
15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
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You must not keep on biting each other. You must not keep eating each other up. Watch out! You might destroy each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
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So I say, live by the Holy Spirit's power. Then you will not do what your sinful nature wants you to do.
17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
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The sinful nature does not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the sinful nature delights in. The two are at war with each other. That's what makes you do what you don't want to do.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
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But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the authority of the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
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What the sinful nature does is clear. It enjoys sexual sins, impure acts and wild living.
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
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It worships statues of gods. It also worships evil powers. It is full of hatred and fighting. It is full of jealousy and fits of anger. It is interested only in getting ahead. It stirs up trouble. It separates people into their own little groups.
21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
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It wants what others have. It gets drunk and takes part in wild parties. It does many things of that kind. I warn you now as I did before. People who live like that will not receive God's kingdom.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
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But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
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and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
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Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful nature to his cross. They don't want what their sinful nature loves and longs for.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
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Since we live by the Spirit, let us march in step with the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
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Let us not become proud. Let us not make each other angry. Let us not want what belongs to others.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.