Galatians — Chapter 5
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1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
2Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
3Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
4You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness.
6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.
7You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?
8Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you.
9A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.
10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.
11Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
12As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!
13For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
14The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
15But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
20idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,
21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit.
26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.
1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
7Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
8This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
9A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
10I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
11And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
12I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17For the flesh lusteth 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.
18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
1For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.
2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
3Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4Ye are severed from Christ, ye would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.
5For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.
6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.
7Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth?
8This persuasion [came] not of him that calleth you.
9A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
10I have confidence to you-ward in the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
11But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then hath the stumbling-block of the cross been done away.
12I would that they that unsettle you would even go beyond circumcision.
13For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only [use] not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.
14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would.
18But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties,
21envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.
24And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.
25If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk.
26Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.
1For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.
2Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all!
3And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
4You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace!
5For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness.
6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight—the only thing that matters is faith working through love.
7You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth?
8This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you!
9A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise!
10I am confident in the Lord that you will accept no other view. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.
11Now, 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 removed.
12I wish those agitators would go so far as to castrate themselves!
13For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
14For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”
15However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.
16But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.
17For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.
18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity,
20idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions,
21envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.
26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another.
1Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
2Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
3Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.
5For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.
6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.
7You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?
8This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
9A little yeast grows through the whole lump.
10I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.
12I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off.
13For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.
14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.
16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.
18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,
20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,
21envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
23gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
25If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.
26Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.
Summary
Paul opens by declaring that Christ has set believers free and urges them to stand firm rather than submit again to slavery, warning that accepting circumcision as a requirement severs them from Christ and obligates them to keep the whole law (vv. 1-6). He rebukes whoever has hindered their progress, comparing false teaching to leaven spreading through the whole batch (vv. 7-12), and calls them to use their freedom to serve one another in love, since the whole law is fulfilled in loving one's neighbor (vv. 13-15). Walking by the Spirit rather than the flesh keeps believers from sinful desires; he contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — noting that those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh (vv. 16-26).
Authorship & Background
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik provides detailed analysis of Christian liberty, the flesh vs. Spirit conflict, the works of the flesh, and the fruit of the Spirit.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Galatians -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Standing Fast in Freedom (v.1) — Paul urges believers to hold firmly to the freedom Christ purchased rather than slide back into bondage. What pulls you toward trading that freedom for rules or performance?
- Faith Expressed Through Love (v.6) — What matters isn't outward ritual but faith that actively works itself out in love. Is your faith visibly loving toward others, or mostly private and passive?
- Freedom as Service, Not Indulgence (v.13) — Christian liberty isn't license to please yourself but an opportunity to serve others in love. Where could you trade self-focus for serving someone else this week?
- Walking by the Spirit (v.16) — Paul's answer to the pull of the flesh is a daily, moment-by-moment walking in step with the Spirit. What does staying sensitive to the Spirit's leading actually look like in your everyday life?
- Naming the Works of the Flesh (vv.19-21) — Paul's list includes not just obvious sins but also things like strife, jealousy, and quarreling. Which items on this list are you most prone to excuse in yourself?
- Fruit That Grows, Not Works You Manufacture (vv.22-23) — The fruit of the Spirit describes character that grows naturally from abiding in Christ rather than being forced. Which fruit is most evident in your life right now, and which is least developed?