Gal 5:1

exegeticalGal 5:1–26

Overview of Galatians 5

• SaysGalatians 5 moves from the freedom for which Christ set us free, through a warning about circumcision and falling from grace, the troublers and the cross, freedom used to serve in love, walking by the Spirit, and the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit, to those who belong to Christ having crucified the flesh.
• ImpliesChrist has set believers free; they are to stand firm and not take up a yoke of slavery again; love fulfills the law; the Spirit leads and bears fruit.

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exegeticalGal 5:1–6

Stand firm in freedom (5:1–6)

• SaysFor freedom Christ set us free; the readers are to stand firm and not be held again by a yoke of slavery; if they let themselves be circumcised, Christ will profit them nothing, and the one circumcised is a debtor to the whole law.
• SaysIn Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value; what matters is faith expressing itself through love.
• ImpliesChrist has set believers free; justification is not by the law, and circumcision has no value in Christ Jesus.

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historicalGal 5:1–26

Early readings of Galatians 5: preaching circumcision and Timothy (5:11)

• SaysGal 5:11: Paul asks why, if he is still preaching circumcision, he is still being persecuted; Acts 16:3 says he circumcised Timothy on account of the Jews in that area, and 1 Cor 7:19 says circumcision and uncircumcision are nothing.
• ImpliesBecause Paul asks why he is still persecuted if he still preaches circumcision, the text presents his persecution as evidence that he did not preach it.
• UncertainWhat lay behind the charge that Paul still preached circumcision is open; the readings do not fix the meaning.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Lightfoot, Galatians public domain Chrysostom, Galatians (NPNF1 13) public domain Wesley, Notes NT (1755) public domain

historicalGal 5:1

The yoke of slavery (5:1)

• SaysGal 5:1–2: for freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm and do not be encumbered again by a yoke of slavery; if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you. Acts 15:1 tells of teachers from Judea requiring circumcision for salvation.
• ImpliesBecause the readers had once been slaves (4:8), are told not to be encumbered once more, and are next warned about circumcision (5:2–3), the text treats taking up the law’s demand as a return to slavery.
• UncertainWhat the image of a yoke would have called to mind for the Galatians is open; the background does not fix the meaning.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Luther, Galatians (Middleton 1833) public domain

languageGal 5:1

For freedom Christ set us free (5:1)

• SaysGalatians 5:1 says that for freedom Christ set us free, and tells the readers to stand firm and not be held again by a yoke of slavery.
• SaysThe opening noun is dative; the Greek order is ’us’ before ’Christ’, where the BSB has Christ before us.
• ImpliesTaking up the law as a way of standing with God would be a return to slavery, as in 4:3 and 4:8–9.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Abbott-Smith public domain

Gal 5:2

languageGal 5:2; Gal 5:3; Gal 5:4

Severed from Christ, and fallen from grace (5:2–4)

• SaysGalatians 5:2–3 says that if the readers let themselves be circumcised, Christ will profit them nothing, and the man circumcised is a debtor to do the whole law.
• SaysGalatians 5:4 says those who are seeking to be justified by the law were severed from Christ and fell from grace.
• UncertainThe text does not define ’fallen away from grace’ further; no lean is taken.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Abbott-Smith public domain

Gal 5:4

exegeticalGal 5:4

Fallen away from grace (5:4)

• SaysGalatians 5:4 says those who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ and have fallen away from grace.
• UncertainCalvin, Luther, and Wesley take the fall from grace as abandoning grace as the way of justification; no lean is taken.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Calvin, Galatians (Pringle) public domain Luther, Galatians (Middleton 1833) public domain

Gal 5:5

languageGal 5:5; Gal 5:6

The hope of righteousness, and faith working through love (5:5–6)

• SaysGalatians 5:5 says that by the Spirit, from faith, we eagerly await the hope of righteousness.
• UncertainLightfoot and Burton, with Calvin guardedly, take the hope as the righteousness hoped for; Wesley guardedly glosses it as the reward of righteousness; no lean is taken.
• SaysGalatians 5:6 says that in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
• UncertainLightfoot takes the participle as middle, faith at work through love; no lean is taken.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Lightfoot, Galatians public domain Burton, Galatians (ICC) public domain Calvin, Galatians (Pringle) public domain

Gal 5:7

exegeticalGal 5:7–12

The troublers and the cross (5:7–12)

• SaysThe readers were running well until someone obstructed them; the persuasion is not from the One who calls them; a little leaven works through the whole batch; Paul is confident in the Lord about them, and the troubler will bear the judgment.
• SaysIf Paul were still preaching circumcision he would not still be persecuted, and the offense of the cross would have been abolished; he wishes that those agitating them would cut themselves off.
• UncertainWhat lay behind the charge that Paul still preached circumcision, and the force of the wish in 5:12, are treated in the historical and language notes; no lean is taken here.

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languageGal 5:7; Gal 5:8; Gal 5:9; Gal 5:10

Hindered, and a little leaven (5:7–10)

• SaysGalatians 5:7–8 says the readers were running well until someone cut in on them, and this persuasion is not from the one who calls them.
• SaysGalatians 5:9–10 cites the proverb of a little leaven and says Paul is confident in the Lord about the readers, while the troubler will bear the judgment.
• ImpliesThe persuasion has a source other than God, and Paul’s confidence rests in the Lord.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Abbott-Smith public domain

Gal 5:9

historicalGal 5:9

The leaven proverb (5:9)

• SaysGal 5:9: a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough; the saying stands between 5:7 (who obstructed you) and 5:10 (the troubler will bear the judgment), and Paul uses the same words in 1 Cor 5:6.
• ImpliesBecause the saying stands between 5:7 and 5:10 and recurs word for word in 1 Cor 5:6, the text uses a known saying to warn that a small influence spreads through the whole.
• UncertainWhether the little leaven of Gal 5:9 is the teaching, the teacher, or both, is open; the background does not fix the meaning.

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Gal 5:11

languageGal 5:11; Gal 5:12

The offense of the cross, and cut themselves off (5:11–12)

• SaysGalatians 5:11 says that if Paul still preached circumcision he would not still be persecuted, and the offense of the cross would have been abolished.
• UncertainThe text does not say who claimed that Paul still preached circumcision; no lean is taken.
• SaysGalatians 5:12 wishes that those unsettling the readers would cut themselves off (middle); the BSB has emasculate themselves.
• UncertainLightfoot and Chrysostom take the verb of self-mutilation; no lean is taken.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Lightfoot, Galatians public domain Chrysostom, Galatians (NPNF1 13) public domain Abbott-Smith public domain

Gal 5:13

exegeticalGal 5:13–15

Freedom to serve in love (5:13–15)

• SaysThe readers were called to freedom, not as an opportunity for the flesh, but to serve one another in love; the entire law has been fulfilled in the one word, Love your neighbor as yourself.
• ImpliesServing one another in love is the right use of freedom and fulfills the law; it is the opposite of biting and devouring one another.

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languageGal 5:13; Gal 5:14; Gal 5:15

Freedom, love, and the whole law (5:13–15)

• SaysGalatians 5:13 says the readers were called to freedom, not as an opportunity for the flesh, but to serve one another through love.
• SaysGalatians 5:14 says the whole law has been fulfilled in one word, ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’
• ImpliesServing one another in love is the right use of freedom, and the opposite of biting and devouring one another.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Abbott-Smith public domain

Gal 5:16

exegeticalGal 5:16–18

Walk by the Spirit (5:16–18)

• SaysWalk by the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desire of the flesh; flesh and Spirit desire against each other and are opposed, so that you do not do what you want; if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
• UncertainChrysostom, more guardedly, takes the result as keeping the soul from evil desires; Calvin takes the wished-for things as the holy affections of the regenerate; Lightfoot, in paraphrase and also guarded, speaks of being dragged back from the guidance of conscience; no lean is taken.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Chrysostom, Galatians (NPNF1 13) public domain Calvin, Galatians (Pringle) public domain

languageGal 5:16; Gal 5:17; Gal 5:18

Walk by the Spirit; flesh against Spirit (5:16–18)

• SaysGalatians 5:16 says, walk by the Spirit, and you will by no means fulfill the desire of the flesh.
• SaysGalatians 5:17–18 says flesh and Spirit desire against each other and are opposed, so that you do not do what you want; and if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law.
• UncertainThe clause in 5:17 does not name which wishes are kept from being done; no lean is taken.

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Gal 5:19

exegeticalGal 5:19–23

Works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit (5:19–23)

• SaysThe works of the flesh are evident and are listed, ending with and the like; those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God, as Paul had warned them before; the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace and the rest, and against such things there is no law.
• UncertainCalvin takes the warning of 5:21 to address those who remain impenitent, not all who have sinned; no lean is taken.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Calvin, Galatians (Pringle) public domain

historicalGal 5:19–23

Lists of vices and virtues (5:19–23)

• SaysGal 5:19–23: the works of the flesh are obvious, a list ending ‘and the like’, with the warning that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God; the fruit (singular) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, against which there is no law. 1 Cor 6:9, Col 3:5 and Eph 5:9 give similar lists.
• ImpliesBecause Paul warns them as he did before (5:21), the text shows this teaching was part of what he had given them in person.
• UncertainHow these lists relate to lists of vices and virtues outside Scripture is open; comparisons do not show dependence, and the background does not fix the meaning.

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languageGal 5:19; Gal 5:20; Gal 5:21

The works of the flesh (5:19–21)

• SaysGalatians 5:19–21 says the works of the flesh are evident and lists them, ending with ’and the like.’
• SaysGalatians 5:21 says those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God, as Paul told them before.
• UncertainWhom the warning of 5:21 addresses beyond its own words is not settled here; no lean is taken.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Abbott-Smith public domain

Gal 5:22

languageGal 5:22; Gal 5:23; Gal 5:24; Gal 5:25; Gal 5:26

The fruit of the Spirit, and keeping in step (5:22–26)

• SaysGalatians 5:22–23 says the fruit of the Spirit, a singular noun, is love, joy, peace and the rest, and against such things there is no law.
• SaysGalatians 5:24 says those of Christ crucified the flesh with its passions and desires; the BSB follows editions that add Jesus.
• SaysGalatians 5:25–26 says, if we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit, not being vain-glorious, provoking and envying one another.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Abbott-Smith public domain

Gal 5:24

exegeticalGal 5:24–26

Crucified the flesh (5:24–26)

• SaysThose who belong to Christ crucified the flesh with its passions and desires; if we live by the Spirit, we are to keep in step with the Spirit, not becoming conceited, provoking and envying one another. The BSB’s Christ Jesus follows editions that add Jesus; SBLGNT has of Christ alone.
• UncertainBurton and Calvin, both guarded, take the crucifying of the flesh as the believer’s mortification, an act of no single moment, the effect of the cross; no lean is taken.

✓ Approved BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Burton, Galatians (ICC) public domain Calvin, Galatians (Pringle) public domain