基督徒的自由
1基督釋放了我們，是要我們得自由。所以，要站穩了，不要再被奴僕的軛轄制。
2聽著！我保羅鄭重地告訴你們，如果你們接受割禮，基督對你們就毫無益處。 3我再次警告所有接受割禮的人，他們必須遵守全部的律法。 4你們若想靠遵行律法而被稱為義人，就與基督隔絕了，並且離開了上帝的恩典。 5但我們要靠著聖靈，憑信心熱切等候所盼望的義。 6我們既然已經在基督耶穌裡，受不受割禮根本無關緊要，藉著愛表現出來的信心才至關重要。
7你們本來在信心的路上一直跑得很好。現在是誰攔阻了你們，叫你們不再信從真理呢？ 8當然不是呼召你們的上帝！ 9「一點麵酵能使整團麵發起來。」 10我在主裡深信你們不會有二心，但無論誰攪擾你們，都必受審判。
11弟兄姊妹，如果我仍舊主張行割禮，怎麼還會受迫害呢？如果是那樣，十字架冒犯人的地方就被消除了。 12我恨不得那些攪擾你們的人把自己閹了5·12 「把自己閹了」或作「與你們隔離」。！
13弟兄姊妹，你們蒙召得了自由，但不要以自由為藉口來放縱情慾，要本著愛心互相服侍， 14因為全部的律法可以總結成一句話：「要愛鄰如己」。 15你們要謹慎，如果你們相咬相吞，恐怕會同歸於盡。
順從聖靈而行
16因此，我勸你們行事為人要順從聖靈的引導，這樣就不會放縱罪惡本性的私慾。 17因為人罪惡本性的私慾與聖靈作對，聖靈也與罪惡本性的私慾作對，兩者勢不兩立，使你們不能做自己想做的事。 18但你們如果順從聖靈的引導，就不再受律法的約束。 19順從罪惡本性而行的事顯而易見，如淫亂、污穢、邪蕩、 20拜偶像、行邪術、仇恨、爭吵、忌恨、惱怒、紛爭、衝突、分裂5·20 「分裂」或譯「異端」。、 21嫉妒、兇殺、醉酒和荒宴無度等。我從前警告過你們，現在再一次警告你們：行這些事的人必不能承受上帝的國。
22但聖靈所結的果子是仁愛、喜樂、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信實、 23溫柔、節制。沒有律法會禁止這些事。 24那些屬基督的人已經把罪惡的本性和本性裡的邪情私慾都釘在十字架上了。 25如果我們是靠聖靈生活，就當凡事順從聖靈的引導。 26我們不要自高自大、彼此惹氣、互相嫉妒。
Christ Sets Us Free
1Christ has set us free to enjoy our freedom. So remain strong in the faith. Don’t let the chains of slavery hold you again.
2Here 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. 3I say it again. Every man who lets himself be circumcised must obey the whole law. 4Some 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. 5But we long to be made completely holy because of our faith in Christ. Through the Holy Spirit we wait for this in hope. 6Circumcision 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.
7You were running a good race. Who has kept you from obeying the truth? 8The God who chooses you does not keep you from obeying the truth. 9You should know that “just a little yeast works its way through the whole batch of dough.” 10The Lord makes me certain that you will see the truth of this. The one who has gotten you all mixed up will have to pay the price. This will happen no matter who has done it. 11Brothers and sisters, I no longer preach that people must be circumcised. If I did, why am I still being opposed? If I preached that, then the cross wouldn’t upset anyone. 12So 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!
Living by the Holy Spirit’s Power
13My brothers and sisters, you were chosen to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to live under the power of sin. Instead, serve one another in love. 14The whole law is fulfilled by obeying this one command. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18) 15If you say or do things that harm one another, watch out! You could end up destroying one another.
16So I say, live by the Holy Spirit’s power. Then you will not do what your desires controlled by sin want you to do. 17The desires controlled by sin do not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the desires controlled by sin delight in. The two are at war with each other. That’s why you are not supposed to do whatever you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the authority of the law.
19The result of sin’s control in our lives is clear. It includes sexual sins, impure acts and wild living. 20It includes worshiping statues of gods and worshiping evil powers. It also includes hatred and fighting, jealousy and fits of anger. Sinful desire is interested only in getting ahead. It stirs up trouble. It separates people into their own little groups. 21It 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 this will not receive God’s kingdom.
22But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful 23and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful desires to his cross. They don’t want these things anymore. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become proud. Let us not make each other angry. Let us not want what belongs to others.
