| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. | 1It 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. |
| 2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. | 2Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. |
| 3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. | 3Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. |
| 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. | 4You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. |
| 5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. | 5For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. |
| 6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. | 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. |
| 7Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? | 7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? |
| 8This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. | 8That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. |
| 9A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. | 9"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." |
| 10I 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. | 10I 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. |
| 11And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. | 11Brothers 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. |
| 12I would they were even cut off which trouble you. | 12As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! |
| 13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. | 13You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. |
| 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. | 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." |
| 15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. | 15If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. |
| 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. | 16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. |
| 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. | 17For 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 you want. |
| 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. | 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. |
| 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, | 19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; |
| 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, | 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions |
| 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. | 21and 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. |
| 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, | 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, |
| 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. | 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. |
| 24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. | 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. |
| 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. | 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. |
| 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. | 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. |
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