2Mark my words: I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision Christ will do you no good at all. 3Once again, you can take it from me that every man who receives circumcision is under obligation to keep the entire law. 4When you seek to be justified by way of law, your relation with Christ is completely severed: you have fallen out of the domain of God's grace. 5For to us, our hope of attaining that righteousness which we eagerly await is the work of the Spirit through faith. 6If we are in union with Christ Jesus circumcision makes no difference at all, nor does the want of it; the only thing that counts is faith active in love.
7You were running well; who was it hindered you from following the truth? 8Whatever persuasion he used, it did not come from God who is calling you; 9'a little leaven', remember, 'leavens all the dough'. 10United with you in the Lord, I am confident that you will not take the wrong view; but the man who is unsettling your minds, whoever he may be, must bear God's judgement. 11And I, my friends, if I am still advocating circumcision, why is it I am still persecuted? In that case, my preaching of the cross is a stumbling-block no more. 12As for these agitators, they had better go the whole way and make eunuchs of themselves!
13YOU, MY FRIENDS, were called to be free men; only do not turn your freedom into licence for your lower nature, but be servants to one another in love. 14 [ Lv.19.18. ] For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' 15But if you go on fighting one another, tooth and nail, all you can expect is mutual destruction.
16I mean this: if you are guided by the Spirit you will not fulfil the desires of your lower nature. 17That nature sets its desires against the Spirit, while the Spirit fights against it. They are in conflict with one another so that what you will to do you cannot do. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
19Anyone can see the kind of behaviour that belongs to the lower nature: fornication, impurity, and indecency; 20idolatry and sorcery; quarrels, a contentious temper, envy, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, party intrigues, 21and jealousies; drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who behave in such ways will never inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the harvest of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law dealing with such things as these. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the lower nature with its passions and desires. 25If the Spirit is the source of our life, let the Spirit also direct our course.
26We must not be conceited, challenging one another to rivalry, jealous of one another.
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