Freedom in Christ
1Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.+ 2See, I Paul say to you, that if you undergo circumcision, Christ will be of no use to you.+ 3Yes, I give witness again to every man who undergoes circumcision, that he will have to keep all the law.+ 4You are cut off from Christ, you who would have righteousness by the law; you are turned away from grace.+ 5For we through the Spirit by faith are waiting for the hope of righteousness.+ 6Because in Christ Jesus, having circumcision or not having circumcision are equally of no profit; but only faith working through love.+ 7You were going on well; who was the cause of your not giving ear to what is true?+ 8This ready belief did not come from him who had made you his.+ 9A little leaven makes a change in all the mass.+ 10I am certain about you in the Lord, that you will be of no other mind; but he who is troubling you will have his punishment, whoever he is.+ 11But I, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still attacked? then has the shame of the cross been taken away.+ 12My desire is that they who give you trouble might even be cut off themselves.+ 13Because you, brothers, were marked out to be free; only do not make use of your free condition to give the flesh its chance, but through love be servants one to another.+ 14For all the law is made complete in one word, even in this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself.+ 15But if you are given to fighting with one another, take care that you are not the cause of destruction one to another.+Walking by the Spirit
Ezekiel 36:16–38; Romans 8:9–11
16But I say, Go on in the Spirit, and you will not come under the rule of the evil desires of the flesh.+ 17For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; because these are opposite the one to the other; so that you may not do the things which you have a mind to do.+ 18But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.+ 19Now the works of the flesh are clear, which are these: evil desire, unclean things, wrong use of the senses,+ 20Worship of images, use of strange powers, hates, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings,+ 21Envy, uncontrolled drinking and feasting, and such things: of which I give you word clearly, even as I did in the past, that they who do such things will have no part in the kingdom of God.+ 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, a quiet mind, kind acts, well-doing, faith,+ 23Gentle behaviour, control over desires: against such there is no law.+ 24And those who are Christ's have put to death on the cross the flesh with its passions and its evil desires.+ 25If we are living by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us be guided.+ 26Let us not be full of self-glory, making one another angry, having envy of one another.+