GAL 5:1-15

Freedom in Christ

1Christ has set us free for freedom. Stand firm, then, and do not be entangled again in a yoke of slavery. [5:2] Look, I, Paul, say to you that if you get circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. [5:3] I testify again to every man who gets circumcised that he is obligated to keep the whole Law. [5:4] You are severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the Law; you have fallen away from grace. [5:5] For we, by the Spirit, through faith, are eagerly awaiting the hope of righteousness. [5:6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any power, but faith working through love. [5:7] You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? [5:8] This persuasion is not from the one who called you. [5:9] A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. [5:10] I am confident in the Lord about you, that you will think no differently. But the one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he is. [5:11] But I, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case, the offense of the cross has been abolished. [5:12] Let those who are stirring you up emasculate themselves! [5:13] For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. [5:14] For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' [5:15] But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Greco-Roman world, freedom was a highly valued concept, often tied to citizenship and legal rights. For Jewish listeners, freedom carried covenantal significance, recalling the Exodus from Egypt. Paul’s declaration that Christ has set them free would resonate with both groups, but his warning against returning to a 'yoke of slavery' directly challenges those advocating circumcision as necessary for salvation. In the Jewish context, circumcision was a mark of covenant identity, but Paul frames it here as a return to bondage under the Law. His use of 'yoke' evokes imagery of heavy burdens, a metaphor familiar in Jewish literature for legalistic obligations. Paul’s assertion that circumcision obligates one to keep the entire Law reflects the Pharisaic emphasis on Torah observance. His contrast between Law and grace underscores the tension between Jewish legalism and the new covenant in Christ. The mention of 'faith working through love' shifts the focus from ritual to relational ethics, a radical reorientation for both Jewish and Gentile audiences. The biting and devouring imagery highlights the destructive conflict within the community, a common issue in early Christian assemblies.

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How other translations render this

GAL 5:1

KJV: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
BSB: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
Koinōnos: Christ has set us free for freedom. Stand firm, then, and do not be entangled again in a yoke of slavery.

GAL 5:2

KJV: Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
BSB: Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
Koinōnos: Look, I, Paul, say to you that if you get circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

GAL 5:3

KJV: For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
BSB: Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
Koinōnos: I testify again to every man who gets circumcised that he is obligated to keep the whole Law.

GAL 5:4

KJV: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
BSB: You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
Koinōnos: You are severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the Law; you have fallen away from grace.

GAL 5:5

KJV: For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
BSB: But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness.
Koinōnos: For we, by the Spirit, through faith, are eagerly awaiting the hope of righteousness.

GAL 5:6

KJV: For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
BSB: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What matters is faith, expressing itself through love.
Koinōnos: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any power, but faith working through love.

GAL 5:7

KJV: Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
BSB: You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?
Koinōnos: You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

GAL 5:8

KJV: This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
BSB: Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you.
Koinōnos: This persuasion is not from the one who called you.

GAL 5:9

KJV: A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
BSB: A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.
Koinōnos: A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough.

GAL 5:10

KJV: I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
BSB: I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.
Koinōnos: I am confident in the Lord about you, that you will think no differently. But the one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he is.

GAL 5:11

KJV: And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
BSB: Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
Koinōnos: But I, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case, the offense of the cross has been abolished.

GAL 5:12

KJV: I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
BSB: As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!
Koinōnos: Let those who are stirring you up emasculate themselves!

GAL 5:13

KJV: For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
BSB: For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
Koinōnos: For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

GAL 5:14

KJV: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
BSB: The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Koinōnos: For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

GAL 5:15

KJV: But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
BSB: But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
Koinōnos: But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

GAL 5:3

I testify:The word translated 'I testify' here implies a solemn declaration, often made in a legal or formal context, calling others to witness the truth of what is being said.

GAL 5:4

You are severed:The phrase 'You are severed' uses a word that means to render something ineffective, idle, or useless. It suggests being made inoperative or brought to an end.

GAL 5:12

will emasculate themselves:The word translated 'will emasculate themselves' is a strong, visceral term meaning to cut off or amputate. In this context, it's a provocative and sarcastic wish for those advocating circumcision to go to an extreme.

GAL 5:15

you bite:The word translated 'you bite' is a vivid image of aggressive, hostile action, often used metaphorically for verbal attacks or destructive criticism that harms others.