Christ Has Set Us Free
1 For sfreedom Christ has tset us free; ustand firm therefore, and do not submit again to va yoke of wslavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that xif you accept circumcision, yChrist will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that zhe is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are asevered from Christ, byou who would be justified1 by the law; cyou have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly dwait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus eneither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but fonly faith working through love.
7 gYou were running well. Who hindered you from obeying hthe truth? 8 This persuasion is not from ihim who calls you. 9 jA little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 kI have confidence in the Lord that you will ltake no other view, and mthe one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers,2 still preach3 circumcision, nwhy am I still being persecuted? In that case othe offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish pthose who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. qOnly do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love rserve one another. 14 For sthe whole law is fulfilled in one word: t“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you ubite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Keep in Step with the Spirit
16 But I say, vwalk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify wthe desires of the flesh. 17 For xthe desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, yto keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are zled by the Spirit, ayou are not under the law. 19 Now bthe works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, cdivisions, 21 envy,4 drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that dthose who do5 such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But ethe fruit of the Spirit is flove, joy, peace, patience, gkindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 hgentleness, iself-control; jagainst such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus khave crucified the flesh with its lpassions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, mlet us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 nLet us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
1 dA soft answer turns away wrath,
but ea harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but fthe mouths of fools pour out folly.
3 gThe eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4 hA gentle1 tongue is ia tree of life,
but jperverseness in it breaks the spirit.
5 kA fool ldespises his father’s instruction,
but mwhoever heeds reproof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
7 nThe lips of the wise spread knowledge;
8 oThe sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but pthe prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him qwho pursues righteousness.
10 There is rsevere discipline for him who forsakes the way;
swhoever hates reproof will die.
11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
how much more tthe hearts of the children of man!
12 uA scoffer vdoes not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
13 wA glad heart makes a cheerful face,
but by xsorrow of heart the spirit is ycrushed.
14 zThe heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but athe cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
16 bBetter is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
17 cBetter is a dinner of herbs where love is
than da fattened ox and hatred with it.
18 eA hot-tempered man fstirs up strife,
but he who is gslow to anger quiets contention.
19 The way of ha sluggard is like a hedge of ithorns,
but the path of the upright is ja level highway.
20 kA wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 lFolly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding mwalks straight ahead.
22 nWithout counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and oa word in season, how good it is!
24 The path of life leads upward pfor the prudent,
that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
25 The Lord tears down the house of qthe proud
but rmaintains sthe widow’s boundaries.
26 tThe thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but ugracious words are pure.
27 Whoever is vgreedy for unjust gain wtroubles his own household,
but he who hates xbribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous yponders how to answer,
but zthe mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is afar from the wicked,
but he bhears the prayer of the righteous.
30 cThe light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and dgood news refreshes3 the bones.
31 eThe ear that listens to flife-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32 Whoever gignores instruction hdespises himself,
but he who listens to reproof igains intelligence.
33 jThe fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and khumility comes before honor.
