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.
Ahofadie Wɔ Kristo Mu
1Ahofadie enti na Kristo ama yɛade yɛn ho no. Monnyina pintinn. Mommma ho ɛkwan mma wɔmmfa mo nnyɛ nkoa bio.
2Montie! Me Paulo, meka mekyerɛ mo sɛ, sɛ moma ho ɛkwan ma wɔtwa mo twetia a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ Kristo ho amma mfasoɔ biara amma mo koraa. 3Mebɔ mo kɔkɔ bio sɛ obiara a ɔbɛma ho ɛkwan ama wɔatwa no twetia no, na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔdi Mmara no nyinaa so. 4Mo a mopɛ sɛ wɔde Mmara no bu mo bem no ate mo ho afiri Kristo ho. Adom no nni mo so bio. 5Nanso yɛfiri gyidie mu nam Honhom no so twɛne tenenee a yɛn ani da soɔ no. 6Kristo Yesu mu no, twetiatwa ne momonotoyɛ ho nni mfasoɔ. Deɛ ɛho hia ne gyidie a ɛnam ɔdɔ so da ne ho adi.
7Na anka moresi mmirikakan no yie! Na hwan na ɔtwintwanee mo anan mu ma mogyaee nokorɛ no tie? 8Saa nnaadaa no mfiri deɛ ɔfrɛ mo no. 9“Mmɔka kakra bi na ɛma mmɔre no nyinaa tu.” 10Mewɔ anidasoɔ wɔ Awurade mu sɛ morennwene adwene foforɔ bi. Onipa ko a ɔde sakasakayɛ reba mo mu no, wɔbɛtua ne so ka. 11Anuanom, sɛ megu so ka twetiatwa ho asɛm a, adɛn enti na wɔda so taa me? Na sɛ ɛno na ɛyɛ nokorɛ a, anka mʼasɛm a meka fa Kristo asɛnnua ho no renkɔfa ɔhaw mma. Ɛnneɛ na anka asɛnnua no ho suntidua biara nni hɔ bio. 12Sɛ ɛkaa me nko a, anka wɔn a wɔha mo no atwa wɔn ho atwitwa wɔn ho wɔn ho.
13Me nuanom, mo deɛ, wɔfrɛɛ mo sɛ mommɛde mo ho. Nanso, mommma saa ahofadie yi mmɔ ɛkwan mma bɔne; mmom, momfa ɔdɔ nsom mo ho mo ho. 14Ɛfiri sɛ, Mmara no nyinaa tiawatwa ne sɛ, “Dɔ wo yɔnko sɛ wo ho.” 15Na sɛ mokeka na momemene mo ho mo ho a, ɛnneɛ monhwɛ yie na moansɛe mo ho mo ho.
Honhom Mu Asetena
16Na mese, montena ase wɔ Honhom mu, na moremma honam akɔnnɔ ho kwan. 17Ɛfiri sɛ, deɛ honam pɛ no tia deɛ Honhom no pɛ; saa ara nso na deɛ Honhom no pɛ no, honam no tia. Ne mmienu no bɔ abira, enti ɛnsɛ sɛ moyɛ deɛ mopɛ. 18Sɛ mo nante Honhom mu a, na monnhyɛ Mmara ase.
19Dwuma a bɔnesu di no da adi pefee. Yeinom ne adwamammɔ, efi, ahohwie, 20abosonsom, adutoɔ, ɔtan, akayɛ, ahoɔyea, abufuo, apereapereɛ, kunsunkunsun, mpaapaemu, 21nitan, nsãborɔ, agobɔne, ne nneɛma a ɛtete saa. Mebɔ mo kɔkɔ sɛdeɛ mabɔ mo bi dada no sɛ, wɔn a wɔtena ase saa no renkɔ Onyankopɔn Ahennie no mu.
22Na Honhom no aba ne ɔdɔ, anigyeɛ, asomdwoeɛ, abodwokyɛreɛ, ayamyɛ, papayɛ, gyidie, 23ɔdwoɔ ne ahohyɛsoɔ. Mmara biara nni hɔ a ɛtia yeinom. 24Na wɔn a wɔyɛ Kristo dea no abɔ wɔn nipasu no ne honam akɔnnɔ asɛnnua mu. 25Sɛ yɛte Honhom mu yi, momma yɛnnante Honhom mu. 26Ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛhoahoa yɛn ho, yiyi yɛn ho yɛn ho abufuo, anaa yɛma yɛn ani bere yɛn ho yɛn ho.
