Stand firm in freedom (5:1–6)

Says “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free”. The Greek opens τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσεν (tē eleutheria hēmas Christos ēleutherōsen, “for freedom us Christ set free”): the noun is dative, and the Greek order is “us” before “Christ,” where the BSB has “Christ” before “us”. “Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery”. RP 2018 and the TR join the dative to “Stand firm” (see τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσεν· στήκετε οὖν / τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ οὖν ᾗ Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς ἠλευθέρωσεν στήκετε). The wording is treated in For freedom Christ set us free (5:1); the yoke is treated in The yoke of slavery (5:1). The warning follows the children of the free woman in Children of the free woman (4:28–31) and the move from slaves to sons in From slaves to sons and heirs (4:1–7).

Says “if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all” (ἐὰν περιτέμνησθε (ean peritemnēsthe, “if you let yourselves be circumcised”), present). The one circumcised “is obligated to obey the whole law”. Those “trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ” and “have fallen away from grace”, treated in Fallen away from grace (5:4) and Severed from Christ, and fallen from grace (5:2–4). “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value”. “What matters is faith expressing itself through love” (πίστις δι’ ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένη (pistis di’ agapēs energoumenē, “faith working through love”)). The wording of 5:5–6 is treated in The hope of righteousness, and faith working through love (5:5–6).

Implies Christ has set believers free. Justification is not by the law, and circumcision has no value “in Christ Jesus”.