Freedom in Christ
1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9“A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Life by the Spirit
13You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”5:14 Lev. 19:18 15If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever5:17 Or you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
基督徒的自由
1基督釋放了我們，好讓我們得自由。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因為在基督耶穌裡，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這種勸導當然不是出於呼召你們的上帝！ 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，都必受懲罰。
11弟兄姊妹，我如果仍舊主張行割禮，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本性，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。」5·14 利未記19·18。 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
16因此，我勸你們行事為人要順從聖靈的引導，這樣就不會放縱本性的私慾。 17因為人本性的私慾與聖靈作對，聖靈也與人本性的私慾作對，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，就不在律法之下。 19順從本性去做的事顯而易見，如淫亂、污穢、邪蕩、 20拜偶像、行邪術、仇恨、爭鬥、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、自制。沒有律法會禁止這些事。 24那些屬基督耶穌的人，已經把本性及其邪情私慾都釘在十字架上了。 25我們如果是靠聖靈生活，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。
