Section 5:13–26

Let the Spirit of God lead you

In this section, Paul talked about what freedom means. He no longer focused on how a person is made righteous. He focused on how a person who has received the righteousness of Christ should live.

Paul told the Galatians that choosing to live their lives in the power of the Holy Spirit would keep them from living sinful lives. It would keep them from living as slaves to the law. A life lived in the Spirit is a life of love for each other.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Follow closely the Spirit of God
-or-
Obey God’s Spirit, not your sinful desires

Paragraph 5:13–15

In this paragraph, Paul stated that the freedom that the Galatians had in Christ did not mean that they could do whatever they wished. Their freedom did not permit them to live sinful lives. Instead, they should lovingly serve each other.

5:13a

For: Paragraph 5:13–15 is an explanation of the previous section. It connects back to the statement in 5:1 that “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” The Greek introduces this explanation and connection with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For.

Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it will not be necessary to use a conjunction here either.

brothers: As in 5:11a, the word brothers refers to “spiritual brothers.” They were Paul’s “fellow believers.” The word includes both men and women. It does not refer to Paul’s biological brothers.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

brothers and sisters (NET Bible)
-or-
fellow believers
-or-
my friends (Good News Translation)

were called to freedom: The verb called means that God “strongly invited,” “summoned,” or “chose” the Galatians to be free from religious laws. God chose/invited the Galatians to be his people, and he wants them to live in freedom. In some languages, it may be necessary to make some of this information explicit. For example:

were called to be God’s people, and he wants you to be free

In some languages, the word called is only used when someone calls another person to come to a physical location. It cannot be used when someone asks another person to do something or be something. If your language is like that, you may have to use another verb, as in the examples below.

The verb were called is a passive verb. Some ways to translate this clause are:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

You were indeed called to be free (God’s Word)
-or-
you were chosen to be free (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
You were told to be free

• Use an active verb. For example:

God called you to be free (New Century Version)
-or-
God told you that he wants you to be free from religious laws .
-or-
God’s plan is that you be free.
-or-
God called you to be his people, and he wants you to be free from religious laws

The verb called also occurs in 1:6b.

5:13b

but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as opportunity for the flesh means “occasion/time to do whatever your body desires.” Freedom from the law does not give a person an excuse to live a sinful, wicked life.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
now that you are free, do not think that you can do whatever you desire

flesh: The word flesh refers to human nature. That human nature is full of sin.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

sinful nature
-or-
your sinful self
-or-
what your body desires

See flesh, Meaning 5 in the Glossary.

5:13c

Rather: There is a contrast between 5:13b and 5:13c. The contrast is between the command to not use your freedom “as an opportunity for the flesh” and the command to serve one another in love. Languages have different ways to indicate this negative-positive type of contrast. Some of the ways are:

• With the conjunction “but.”

• With a conjunction other than “but.” This is a common way in English to show this type of contrast. For example:

Rather (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version)
-or-
On the contrary
-or-
Instead (Good News Translation)

• With no conjunction. For example:

b do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self. c Serve each other with love. (New Century Version)

serve one another in love: This clause states how the Galatians should use their freedom. They are to serve each other. This means that they are to help one another. And they are to help one another in love. This means “lovingly” or “in a loving manner” or “because you love one another.”

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

serve each other with love (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
love and help each other
-or-
help one another because you love one another

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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