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.
Uhuru Ndani Ya Kristo
15:1 Gal 5:13; 2:4; Yn 8:32; Rum 7:4; 1Kor 16:13; Mt 23:4Kristo alitupa uhuru, akataka tubaki huru. Hivyo simameni imara wala msikubali tena kulemewa na kongwa la utumwa.
25:2 Gal 5:3; Mdo 15:1Sikilizeni! Mimi, Paulo, nawaambieni kwamba kama mkikubali kutahiriwa, basi Kristo hatawafaidia chochote. 35:3 Rum 2:25; Gal 3:10; Yak 2:10Namshuhudia tena kila mtu anayekubali kutahiriwa kwamba inampasa kushika sheria yote. 45:4 Rum 3:28; Ebr 12:15; 2Pet 3:17Ninyi mnaotafuta kuhesabiwa haki kwa njia ya sheria mmetengwa na Kristo, mko mbali na neema ya Mungu. 55:5 Rum 8:23, 24; 2Tim 4:8; 1Kor 7:19Kwa maana, kwa njia ya Roho kwa imani, tunangojea kwa shauku tumaini la haki. 65:6 Rum 16:3; 1Kor 7:19; 1The 1:3; Yak 2:22Kwa maana ndani ya Kristo Yesu, kutahiriwa au kutokutahiriwa hakuleti tofauti, bali lililo muhimu ni imani itendayo kazi kwa njia ya upendo.
75:7 1Kor 9:24; Gal 3:1Mlikuwa mkipiga mbio vizuri. Ni nani aliyewazuia msiitii kweli? 85:8 Rum 8:28; Gal 1:6Ushawishi wa namna hiyo haukutokana na yule anayewaita. 95:9 1Kor 5:6; 15:33“Chachu kidogo huchachua donge zima.” 105:10 2Kor 2:3; Flp 3:15; Gal 1:7Nina hakika katika Bwana kwamba hamtakuwa na msimamo mwingine. Mtu anayewachanganya anastahili adhabu, hata awe nani. 115:11 Gal 4:29; 6:12; Lk 2:34Lakini ndugu zangu, kama mimi bado ninahubiri kuhusu kutahiriwa, kwa nini bado ninateswa? Katika hiyo hali basi, kwazo la msalaba limeondolewa. 125:12 Gal 5:10; Yos 7:25; 1Kor 5:13; Gal 1:8, 9; Mdo 15:1, 2, 24Laiti hao wanaowavuruga wangejihasi wao wenyewe!
135:13 Gal 5:1, 24; 1Kor 8:9; 1Pet 2:16; 1Kor 9:19; 2Kor 4:5Ndugu zangu, ninyi mliitwa ili mwe huru, hivyo msitumie uhuru wenu kama fursa ya kufuata tamaa za mwili, bali tumikianeni ninyi kwa ninyi kwa upendo. 145:14 Law 19:18; Mt 5:43; Gal 6:2Kwa maana sheria yote hukamilika katika amri moja: “Mpende jirani yako kama nafsi yako.” 15Kama mkiumana na kutafunana, angalieni, msije mkaangamizana.
Maisha Ya Kiroho
165:16 Gal 5:18, 25; Rum 8:2, 4-6, 9; 14; 2Kor 5:17; Gal 5:14Kwa hiyo nasema, enendeni kwa Roho, wala hamtazitimiza kamwe tamaa za mwili. 175:17 Rum 8:5-8; 7:15-23Kwa maana mwili hutamani yale yaliyo kinyume na Roho, naye Roho hutamani yale yaliyo kinyume na mwili. Roho na mwili hupingana na kwa sababu hiyo hamwezi kufanya mnayotaka. 185:18 Rum 2:12; 6:14; Gal 5:16; 1Tim 1:9Lakini kama mkiongozwa na Roho, hamko chini ya sheria.
195:19 1Kor 6:18; 3:3; Efe 5:3; Kol 3:5; Yak 3:14, 15Basi matendo ya mwili ni dhahiri nayo ni haya: Uasherati, uchafu, ufisadi, 20kuabudu sanamu, uchawi, uadui, ugomvi, wivu, hasira, fitina, faraka, uzushi, 215:21 Rum 13:13; Mt 15:19; 25:34; 1Kor 6:9husuda, ulevi, ulafi na mambo mengine yanayofanana na hayo. Nawaonya, kama nilivyokwisha kuwaonya kabla, kwamba watu watendao mambo kama hayo, hawataurithi Ufalme wa Mungu.
225:22 Mt 7:16-20Lakini tunda la Roho ni upendo, furaha, amani, uvumilivu, utu wema, fadhili, uaminifu, 23upole na kiasi. Katika mambo kama haya hakuna sheria. 24Wote walio wa Kristo Yesu wameusulubisha mwili na shauku zake pamoja na tamaa zake. 25Kwa kuwa tunaishi kwa Roho, basi, tuenende kwa Roho. 265:26 Flp 2:3; Mt 18:15; Yak 2:19Tusijisifu bure, tukichokozana na kuoneana wivu.
