1 Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again. 2 See, I Paul say to you, that if you undergo circumcision, Christ will be of no use to you. 3 Yes, I give witness again to every man who undergoes circumcision, that he will have to keep all the law. 4 You are cut off from Christ, you who would have righteousness by the law; you are turned away from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit by faith are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 Because in Christ Jesus, having circumcision or not having circumcision are equally of no profit; but only faith working through love. 7 You were going on well; who was the cause of your not giving ear to what is true? 8 This ready belief did not come from him who had made you his. 9 A little leaven makes a change in all the mass. 10 I 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. 11 But I, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still attacked? then has the shame of the cross been taken away. 12 My desire is that they who give you trouble might even be cut off themselves. 13 Because 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. 14 For all the law is made complete in one word, even in this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself. 15 But if you are given to fighting with one another, take care that you are not the cause of destruction one to another. 16 But I say, Go on in the Spirit, and you will not come under the rule of the evil desires of the flesh. 17 For 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. 18 But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are clear, which are these: evil desire, unclean things, wrong use of the senses, 20 Worship 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, 21 Envy, 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. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, a quiet mind, kind acts, well-doing, faith, 23 Gentle behaviour, control over desires: against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have put to death on the cross the flesh with its passions and its evil desires. 25 If we are living by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us be guided. 26 Let us not be full of self-glory, making one another angry, having envy of one another.
Galatians · Bible in Basic English
Galatians 5 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (26)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16; Romans 6:14; John 8:32–36
- 2 Galatians 5:6; Acts 15:1; Galatians 2:3–5; Romans 9:31–32; Galatians 5:11
- 3 Galatians 3:10; Romans 2:25; James 2:10–11; Deuteronomy 27:26; Deuteronomy 31:21
- 4 2 Peter 2:20–22; Romans 9:31–32; Romans 11:6; Galatians 2:21; Hebrews 12:15
- 5 Psalm 130:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Psalm 62:5; Romans 8:23–25; Titus 2:13
- 6 Galatians 6:15; 1 Corinthians 7:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; James 2:14–26; 2 Corinthians 5:14
- 7 1 Corinthians 9:24; Galatians 3:1; Hebrews 12:1; Matthew 13:21; 1 Peter 1:22
- 8 Galatians 1:6; Romans 8:28
- 9 1 Corinthians 15:33; Mark 8:15; 1 Corinthians 5:6–7; Luke 12:1; Luke 13:21
- 10 Galatians 5:12; Philippians 3:15; Galatians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 2:3; Galatians 2:6
- 11 1 Corinthians 1:23; Galatians 6:12; Galatians 4:29; Galatians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 1:18
- 12 Galatians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 5:13; Genesis 17:14; Exodus 12:15; Joshua 7:25
- 13 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Corinthians 9:19; 1 Corinthians 8:9; Romans 15:1–2; Galatians 5:14
- 14 Matthew 7:12; Leviticus 19:18; Galatians 6:2; Romans 13:8–10; John 13:34
- 15 1 Corinthians 3:3; James 3:14–4:3; Galatians 5:26; 2 Corinthians 11:20; 2 Corinthians 12:20
- 16 Galatians 5:24–25; Romans 8:12–14; Galatians 6:8; Galatians 5:19–21; Colossians 3:5–10
- 17 Romans 8:13; Romans 8:5–8; John 3:6; Matthew 26:41; Psalm 119:20
- 18 Romans 6:14–15; Romans 8:14; Proverbs 8:20; Galatians 5:25; Ezekiel 36:27
- 19 1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Colossians 3:5–8; Matthew 15:18–19; 1 Peter 4:2–4; Revelation 21:8
- 20 Titus 3:10; Revelation 21:8; 1 Corinthians 11:19; 2 Corinthians 11:19; Acts 8:9–11
- 21 1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Romans 8:13; Romans 13:13; Ephesians 5:5–6; 1 Corinthians 5:11
- 22 Colossians 3:12–17; 1 Corinthians 13:4–7; John 15:5; James 3:17–18; John 15:2
- 23 1 Timothy 1:9; Acts 24:25; Titus 2:2; Titus 1:8; 1 Corinthians 9:25
- 24 Romans 6:6; Romans 13:14; Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:16–18; Romans 8:9
- 25 Galatians 5:16; Romans 8:4–5; Romans 8:2; John 6:63; 2 Corinthians 3:6
- 26 James 3:14–16; Philippians 2:1–3; James 4:16; 1 Corinthians 3:7; Luke 14:10
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… again, he proceeds to tell us the spiritual actions which vivify a man, that is, the engrafting of the Spirit; thus saying, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, benignity, faith, meekness, continence, chastity: against these there is no law." As, therefore, he who has gone forward to the better things, and has brought forth …
Thus came I to understand, from my own experience, what I had read, how that "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." I verily lusted both ways; yet more in that which I approved in myself, than in that which I disapproved in myself.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… as received Him," it is said "to them gave He power to become the sons of God." And yet many of these children Paul hath affirmed to be nothing profited by their father; "For if ye be circumcised," saith he, "Christ shall profit you nothing." And if Christ be no help to those who will not take heed to themselves, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… Himself send Him forth at this time also upon you; and by Him keep us also, imparting His benefit in common to us all, that we may ever render up the fruits of the Holy Ghost, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, in Christ Jesus our Lord:--By whom and with whom, together with the Holy Ghost, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
For he who is circumcised is a debtor to do the whole law.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 9 (1899)