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Galatians 5
New King James Version

### Christian Liberty

5 (A)Stand[a] fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a (B)yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that (C)if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised (D)that he is [b]a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 (E)You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; (F)you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly (G)wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For (H)in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but (I)faith working through love.

### Love Fulfills the Law

7 You (J)ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 (K)A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.

11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, (L)why do I still suffer persecution? Then (M)the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 (N)I could wish that those (O)who trouble you would even [c]cut themselves off!

13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only (P)do not use liberty as an (Q)opportunity for the flesh, but (R)through love serve one another. 14 For (S)all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: (T)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

### Walking in the Spirit

16 I say then: (U)Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For (V)the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, (W)so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But (X)if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now (Y)the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [d]adultery, [e]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [f]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that (Z)those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But (AA)the fruit of the Spirit is (AB)love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, (AC)goodness, (AD)faithfulness, 23 [g]gentleness, self-control. (AE)Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s (AF)have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 (AG)If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 (AH)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

#### Footnotes

1. Galatians 5:1 NU For freedom Christ has made us free; stand fast therefore, and
2. Galatians 5:3 obligated
3. Galatians 5:12 mutilate themselves
4. Galatians 5:19 NU omits adultery
5. Galatians 5:19 sexual immorality
6. Galatians 5:21 NU omits murders
7. Galatians 5:23 meekness

#### Cross references

1. Galatians 5:1 : Phil. 4:1
2. Galatians 5:1 : Acts 15:10; Gal. 2:4
3. Galatians 5:2 : Acts 15:1; Gal. 5:3, 6, 11
4. Galatians 5:3 : [Deut. 27:26; Rom. 2:25; Gal. 3:10]
5. Galatians 5:4 : [Rom. 9:31]
6. Galatians 5:4 : Heb. 12:15; 2 Pet. 3:17
7. Galatians 5:5 : Rom. 8:24
8. Galatians 5:6 : [1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 6:15; Col. 3:11]
9. Galatians 5:6 : Col. 1:4; 1 Thess. 1:3; [James 2:18, 20, 22]
10. Galatians 5:7 : 1 Cor. 9:24
11. Galatians 5:9 : 1 Cor. 5:6
12. Galatians 5:11 : 1 Cor. 15:30
13. Galatians 5:11 : Rom. 9:33; [1 Cor. 1:23]
14. Galatians 5:12 : Josh. 7:25
15. Galatians 5:12 : Acts 15:1, 2
16. Galatians 5:13 : [Rom. 8:2]; 1 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 5:1
17. Galatians 5:13 : Rom. 6:1; 1 Pet. 2:16
18. Galatians 5:13 : 1 Cor. 9:19; Eph. 5:21
19. Galatians 5:14 : Matt. 7:12; 22:40; Rom. 13:8, 10; Gal. 6:2
20. Galatians 5:14 : Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39; Rom. 13:9
21. Galatians 5:16 : Rom. 6:12
22. Galatians 5:17 : Rom. 7:18, 22, 23; 8:5
23. Galatians 5:17 : Rom. 7:15
24. Galatians 5:18 : [Rom. 6:14; 7:4; 8:14; 1 Tim. 1:9]
25. Galatians 5:19 : Rom. 1:26–31; Eph. 5:3, 11; 2 Tim. 3:2–4
26. Galatians 5:21 : 1 Cor. 6:9, 10
27. Galatians 5:22 : [John 15:2]
28. Galatians 5:22 : [Rom. 5:1–5; 1 Cor. 13:4; Col. 3:12–15]
29. Galatians 5:22 : Rom. 15:14
30. Galatians 5:22 : 1 Cor. 13:7
31. Galatians 5:23 : 1 Tim. 1:9
32. Galatians 5:24 : Rom. 6:6; [Gal. 2:20; 6:14]
33. Galatians 5:25 : [Rom. 8:4, 5]
34. Galatians 5:26 : Phil. 2:3

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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