Freedom in Christ

5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.m Stand firm,n then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.o

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,p Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.q 4 You who are trying to be justified by the lawr have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.s 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.t 6 For in Christ Jesusu neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.v The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.w

7 You were running a good race.x Who cut in on youy to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.z 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”a 10 I am confidentb in the Lord that you will take no other view.c The one who is throwing you into confusion,d whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?e In that case the offensef of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,g I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.h But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesha;i rather, serve one anotherj humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”b k 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,l and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.m 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.n They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whateverc you want.o 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,p you are not under the law.q

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,r impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.s I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.t

22 But the fruitu of the Spirit is love,v joy, peace,w forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.x Against such things there is no law.y 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the fleshz with its passions and desires.a 25 Since we live by the Spirit,b let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,c provoking and envying each other.

Doing Good to All

6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spiritd should restoree that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.f 3 If anyone thinks they are somethingg when they are not, they deceive themselves.h 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone,i without comparing themselves to someone else,j 5 for each one should carry their own load.k 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.l

7 Do not be deceived:m God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.n 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh,o from the flesh will reap destruction;p whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.q 9 Let us not become weary in doing good,r for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.s 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do goodt to all people, especially to those who belong to the familyu of believers.

Not Circumcision but the New Creation

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!v

12 Those who want to impress people by means of the fleshw are trying to compel you to be circumcised.x The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecutedy for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,z yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.a 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,b through whicha the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.c 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;d what counts is the new creation.e 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—tob the Israel of God.

17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marksf of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christg be with your spirit,h brothers and sisters. Amen.

Ephesians

Although Paul wrote this letter to the church in Ephesus while he was in jail, it is his most optimistic and encouraging correspondence to the young churches. He tells of the advantages a believer has in Christ and instructs believers on how to “live a life of love.”

1 Paul, an apostlea of Christ Jesus by the will of God,b

To God’s holy peoplec in Ephesus,a d the faithfule in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.f

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,g who has blessed us in the heavenly realmsh with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose usi in him before the creation of the worldj to be holy and blamelessk in his sight. In lovel 5 heb predestinedm us for adoption to sonshipc n through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasureo and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace,p which he has freely given us in the One he loves.q 7 In him we have redemptionr through his blood,s the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the richest of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 hed made known to us the mysteryu of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposedv in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillmentw—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.x

11 In him we were also chosen,e having been predestinedy according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purposez of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.a 13 And you also were included in Christb when you heard the message of truth,c the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,d the promised Holy Spirit,e 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritancef until the redemptiong of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.h

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesusi and your love for all God’s people,j 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you,k remembering you in my prayers.l 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,m may give you the Spiritf of wisdomn and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightenedo in order that you may know the hope to which he has calledp you, the richesq of his glorious inheritancer in his holy people,s 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That powert is the same as the mighty strengthu 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the deadv and seated him at his right handw in the heavenly realms,x 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,y and every namez that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.a 22 And God placed all things under his feetb and appointed him to be headc over everything for the church, 23 which is his body,d the fullness of hime who fills everything in every way.f