Galatians 5 For the aforementioned freedom, Christ immediately set us free (or: The Anointed One at once frees us in, to, for and with freedom)! Keep on standing firm, therefore, and do not again be habitually held within a yoke of slavery (or: a cross-lever of a pair of scales whose sphere is bondage) (or: Continuously stand firm, then, in the freedom to which the Anointing sets us free, and let not yourselves be progressively confined again by a yoke pertaining to servitude)!

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ For the [aforementioned] freedom, Christ immediately set us free (or: [The] Anointed One at once frees us in, to, for and with freedom)! Keep on standing firm, therefore, and do not again be habitually held within a yoke of slavery (or: a cross-lever [of a pair of scales] whose sphere is bondage) (or: Continuously stand firm, then, in the freedom [to which the] Anointing sets us free, and let not yourselves be progressively confined again by a yoke pertaining to servitude)! ² See and individually consider! I, Paul, continue saying to you folks, that if you should proceed to being circumcised, Christ will continue benefiting you nothing (or: an Anointing will continue of use to you [for] not one thing)! ³ Now I continue solemnly asserting (attesting; affirming; witnessing), again, to every person (or: human) proceeding to be circumcised, that he is, and continues being, a debtor (one under obligation) to do (to perform; to produce) the whole Law [= the entire Torah]! ⁴ You people were discharged (made inactive, idle, useless, unproductive and without effect; or: voided, nullified, exempted) away from Christ, you who are now in Law trying to be rightwised (also = be included in the covenant) and are basing your fairness and relationships on the way it points out – you at once fell from out of the grace and favor! ⁵ For in spirit (or: by [the] Breath-effect; with [the] Spirit) – forth from out of faith and trust – we continuously (or: progressively) receive by taking away, as with our hands, from out of [the] expectation which belongs to and whose source and reality is the fairness, equity and freedom from guilt in right relationship within the Way pointed out (or: forth from the midst of expectant hope, which is the state of being rightwised and pointed in the right direction; also = out of an expectation from covenant inclusion and participation), ⁶ for within Christ Jesus (or: for you see, in union with [the] Anointed Jesus) neither circumcision continues having strength, for competence or effectiveness, to be availing (or: be of service for) anything, nor [does] uncircumcision, but rather, [it is] faith-and-trust: of itself continuously working effectively (operating; being inwardly active and productive) through Love (" [God's] acceptance of the object of love without restriction, in spite of the estranged, profanized and demonized state of the object; the whole being's drive and movement toward reunion with another, to overcome existential separation; an ecstatic manifestation of the Spiritual Presence" – Tillich, ibid., on agape; brackets mine; cf John 3:16; 1 Cor. 13:4-8). ⁷ You folks have been running beautifully (finely; ideally)! Who (or: What) cut in on you folks, to hinder or thwart you, [for you] not to continue to be persuaded (convinced) by (or: in; with) the Truth and this reality? ⁸ This "art of persuasion" (or: The enticement; or: The yielding to [their] persuasion) [comes] not from out of the One continuously calling you folks. ⁹ A little yeast (or: leaven) is progressively permeating so as to ferment (to be leavening) the whole batch of kneaded dough. ¹⁰ I myself have been convinced so as to be confident (have come to a settled persuasion), [with a view] into you folks – within [the] Lord (Owner; [= Yahweh, or Christ]; or: I am confident in [the] Lord, [directing my thoughts] into you) – that you will [in] nothing continue being disposed otherwise (or: that you will have not [even] one other opinion or frame of mind). Now the person constantly agitating and disturbing you people will lift up and progressively carry (or: bear) the effect of the decision (or: result of [his] sifting and judgment), whoever he or she may be. ¹¹ Now I, brothers (= fellow believers; = my family), if am still habitually preaching circumcision as the message, why am I still being constantly pursued and persecuted? If that has been the case, then the snare (trap-spring; bait-stick; = offense; = a stumbling-block) of the cross (the execution stake) has been, and remains, discharged (made inactive, down-idled, useless, unproductive and without effect; or: = removed or abolished). ¹² Would that (or: I wish that) those continually unsettling you (causing you to rise up as in an insurrection; thus: disturbing or exciting you folks) will also, one after another, cut themselves away (i.e., amputate themselves from your body [of believers]; or: cut themselves off [note: some read this to mean to mutilate themselves or castrate themselves])! ¹³ For you folks were called upon the foundation of (on the basis of; for the purpose of) freedom, [my] brothers. Only not (or: Just not) the freedom [which is leading] into a starting point (or: unto an opportunity, occasion or incentive; to a base of operation) for (to; in; by; with) the flesh [comment: = circumcision with the flesh ordinances and ceremonial laws of Judaism; or: = personal license for the estranged human nature], but to the contrary, through the Love [agape: cf vs. 6b, above] be continuously slaving for one another (serving and performing the duties of a slave to each other). ¹⁴ For, the entire Law has been fulfilled and stands filled up within one word (or: within one thought or idea; within one saying or message) – within the one: "You will continue to love [agapao; cf vs. 6b, above] your near-one (your associate; your neighbor; the one close by your position), as (in the same way as; or: as he/she were) yourself." [Lev. 19:18; comment: this one "expressed thought" is the idea and purpose of the Word] ¹⁵ Now since, or if, you folks are habitually biting and repeatedly eating one another down, watch out, lest you may be used up and consumed by (or: under) one another. ¹⁶ So I continue saying, be habitually walking about (= living your life) in spirit (or: by [the] Spirit; with a Breath-effect), and you should under no circumstance (or: would by no means) bring to fruition (carry to its goal; end up with; bring to maturity) the full rushing passion (the over-desire; craving) originating in flesh (= pertaining to the estranged human nature, or the self which has been dominated by a system of culture or religion; or: corresponding to flesh- [righteousness]; belonging to [a religious system] of flesh-works). ¹⁷ For the flesh [system or nature] is constantly rushing passionately down upon (or: against) the spirit (or: Breath-effect), and the spirit (or: Breath-effect) down on (or: against) the flesh [nature, or, system of religion], for these things are constantly lying in opposition to each other (lying set to displace each other), so that – whatever you may habitually be intending (wanting; willing; purposing) – these things you repeatedly can not be doing. [comment: either because of the estranged flesh nature, or, because of the rules of the system] ¹⁸ Yet since (or: if) you folks are continuously being led in spirit (by [the] Spirit; to [the] Spirit; with a Breath-effect), you do not exist (you are not) under Law [= Torah; = the flesh system of works]. ¹⁹ Now the works (actions; deeds) of the flesh [religion] (or: = whose source and origin are the estranged human nature; or: pertaining to the flesh [system, or, nature]; or: = whose results and realm are the self in slavery to a system) [are] seen and made apparent in clear light, which are, and continue being, the works of a prostitute (or: [the] Prostitute): uncleanness (or: waste or worthless material, as of decayed flesh; a never-pruned tree; material that has not been sifted), excess (immoderation; outrageous behavior), ²⁰ idolatry (being a servant to or worshiping external forms or appearances, phantoms of the mind, unsubstantial or reflected images, or conveyed impressions) sorcery (employment of drugs and enchantments; magic rites; witchcraft), hostilities (enmities; alienations), strife (contentious disposition), jealousies (or: zealous emotions), stirring emotions (rushing passions; furies), factions, standings-apart (divisions), sects (religious denominations; parties with a particular opinion; the making of choices from preferences), ²¹ envies, murders, intoxications (times of being drunk), festal processions (or: excessive feastings), and things like to these [whether religious, or personal], which things I continue predicting (saying beforehand; or: = giving warning) to you folks, just as I said before, that those habitually practicing (or: performing) such [religious, or personal,] things will not be inheriting (receiving and enjoying a distributed allotment of) God's reign (kingdom; sovereign influence and activities). ²² Now the Spirit's fruit (or: So the fruit whose origin and source is the Spirit; But the fruit which is Breath-effect; Yet the fruit of the Attitude) is: love (unrestricted acceptance and the drive to overcome existential separation), joy, peace (or: harmony; [= shalom]), length before a stirring of emotion (slowness of rushing toward something; long-enduring; longsuffering; patience), useful kindness, goodness (virtuousness), faith (or: faithfulness; trust; trustworthiness; loyalty; reliance; reliability; allegiance; fidelity), ²³ gentle friendliness (meekness; mildness), inner strength (self-control). [The] Law is not down from such things (or: In the sphere of such things [the] Law does not exists; There is no law against such things; Law does not correspond to and is not on the level of such things). ²⁴ Now those whose source and origin is Christ Jesus (or: those who belong to the Anointed Jesus) crucified the flesh (or: put the flesh [system] on an execution stake; or: = associate their old estranged human nature as being put to death along with Christ Jesus), together with the results and effects of the experiences (emotions; feelings; sufferings; passions) and the over-desires (rushing passionately upon things; full-rushing emotions). ²⁵ Since (or: If) we continue living in and by spirit (or: for [the] Spirit; to Breath-effect; or: with attitude), we also can habitually advance orderly in line in regard to, or amidst, elementary principles (or: [observing] rudimentary elements), in and by spirit (or: for [the] Spirit; by Breath-effect; with attitude; or: = walk in rank following [the footsteps] behind the Spirit). [cf Rom. 4:12] ²⁶ We can (or: should) not repeatedly (or: habitually) come to be (or: Let us stop becoming) folks with empty glory (or: a vacuous reputation; = to be egotistical or conceited), continually being those challenging one another [as to combat], constantly envying one another.