Galatians 5 

Freedom in Christ

5 It 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.

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10 I 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. 11 Brothers 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. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For 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 whatever[c]you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and 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.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Footnotes:

1. Galatians 5:13 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.
2. Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18
3. Galatians 5:17 Or you do not do what

Galatians 5 

Freedom in Christ

Why should we stand firm and not be burdened again by a yoke of slavery? (verse 5)

What does Paul say about people who let themselves be circumcised? (verse 2)

What is someone who lets themselves be circumcised obligated to obey? (verse 3)

Who falls away from grace? (verse 4)

What do we eagerly await through the Spirit? (verse 5)

In Christ Jesus, does circumcision or uncircumcision have any value? (verse 6)

What counts in Christ Jesus? (verse 6)

What does Paul say about the persuasion of people to stop running the good race? (Verse 7-8)

Life by the Spirit

How should we use our freedom? (verse 13)

In keeping what command, is the entire law fulfilled? (verse 14)

What does Paul say we should watch out for? (verse 15)

What does Paul say will happen if we walk by the Spirit? (verse 16)

What does the flesh desire? (verse 17)

What does the Spirit desire? (verse 17)

If you are led by the Spirit, what are you not under? (verse 18)

What are obvious? (verse 19)

What are the acts of the flesh? (verse 19)

How do those who will not inherit the kingdom of God live? (verse 19-21)

What is the fruit of the Spirit? (verse 22-23)

When we belong to Christ, what has been crucified? (verse 24)

 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the _________. (verse 25)

Let us not become __________, provoking and envying each other. (verse 26)

Interpretation

If Paul was still preaching circumcision, would he be persecuted? (verse 11)

Thoughts

“A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” - verse 9

As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! - verse 12

So that they would not make more like themselves- people born into the yeast of the Pharisees. 

LORD Please make us the kind of Men and Women that you want more of on this earth!

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself." - verse 14

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and 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. - verse 19-21

 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." - verse 22-23

Application

 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. - verse 25-26