Galatians 6
The Message
Nothing but the Cross
6 1-3 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
4-5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.
6 Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.
7-8 Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
9-10 So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.
11-13 Now, in these last sentences, I want to emphasize in the bold scrawls of my personal handwriting the immense importance of what I have written to you. These people who are attempting to force the ways of circumcision on you have only one motive: They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares Christ’s suffering and death. All their talk about the law is gas. They themselves don’t keep the law! And they are highly selective in the laws they do observe. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast of their success in recruiting you to their side. That is contemptible!
14-16 For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!
17 Quite frankly, I don’t want to be bothered anymore by these disputes. I have far more important things to do—the serious living of this faith. I bear in my body scars from my service to Jesus.
18 May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and personally yours, my friends. Oh, yes!
Galatians 6
Contemporary English Version
Help Each Other
6 My friends, you are spiritual. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don't be tempted yourself. 2 You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.
3 If you think you are better than others, when you really aren't, you are wrong. 4 Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others. 5 We each must carry our own load.
6 Share every good thing you have with anyone who teaches you what God has said.
7 You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. 8 If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life. 9 Don't get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up. 10 We should help people whenever we can, especially if they are followers of the Lord.
Final Warnings
11 You can see what big letters I make when I write with my own hand.
12 Those people who are telling you to get circumcised are only trying to show how important they are. And they don't want to get into trouble for preaching about the cross of Christ. 13 They are circumcised, but they don't obey the Law of Moses. All they want is to brag about having you circumcised. 14 But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned.
15 It doesn't matter if you are circumcised or not. All that matters is that you are a new person.
16 If you follow this rule, you will belong to God's true people. God will treat you with undeserved kindness and will bless you with peace.
17 (A) On my own body are scars that prove I belong to Christ Jesus. So I don't want anyone to bother me anymore.
18 My friends, I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you! Amen.
Gálatas 6
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
6 Hermanos (A), aun si alguien es sorprendido en alguna falta, ustedes que son espirituales(B), restáurenlo(C) en un espíritu de mansedumbre(D), mirándote a ti mismo, no sea que tú también seas tentado. 2 Lleven los unos las cargas de los otros(E), y cumplan así la ley de Cristo[a](F). 3 Porque si alguien se cree que es algo, no siendo nada, se engaña a sí mismo(G). 4 Pero que cada uno examine su propia obra(H), y entonces tendrá motivo para gloriarse(I) solamente con respecto a sí mismo, y no con respecto a otro. 5 Porque cada uno llevará su propia carga(J).
6 Y al que se le enseña la palabra, que comparta toda cosa buena con el que le enseña(K). 7 No se dejen engañar(L), de Dios nadie se burla[b](M); pues todo lo que el hombre siembre, eso también segará(N). 8 Porque el que siembra para su propia carne, de la carne segará corrupción(O), pero el que siembra para el Espíritu, del Espíritu segará vida eterna(P). 9 No nos cansemos de hacer el bien, pues a su tiempo, si no nos cansamos, segaremos(Q). 10 Así que entonces, hagamos bien a todos según tengamos oportunidad(R), y especialmente a los de la familia[c](S) de la fe(T).
Declaraciones finales
11 Miren con qué letras tan grandes les escribo[d] de mi propia mano(U). 12 Los que desean agradar[e] en la carne(V) tratan de obligarlos a que se circunciden(W), simplemente para no ser perseguidos(X) a causa de la cruz de Cristo. 13 Porque ni aun los mismos que son[f] circuncidados guardan la ley(Y), pero ellos desean hacerlos circuncidar para gloriarse en la carne de ustedes(Z).
14 Pero jamás(AA) acontezca que yo me gloríe, sino en la cruz de nuestro Señor Jesucristo(AB), por el cual el mundo ha sido crucificado para mí(AC) y yo para el mundo(AD). 15 Porque[g] ni la circuncisión es nada, ni la incircuncisión(AE), sino una nueva creación[h](AF). 16 Y a los que anden conforme a esta regla[i], paz y misericordia sea sobre ellos y sobre el Israel de Dios(AG).
17 De aquí en adelante nadie me cause molestias, porque yo llevo en mi cuerpo las marcas[j](AH) de Jesús.
18 Hermanos(AI), la gracia de nuestro Señor Jesucristo sea con el espíritu de ustedes(AJ). Amén.
Footnotes
- Gálatas 6:2 I.e. el Mesías.
- Gálatas 6:7 Lit. Dios no es burlado.
- Gálatas 6:10 Lit. de la casa.
- Gálatas 6:11 O les he escrito.
- Gálatas 6:12 O presentarse bien.
- Gálatas 6:13 Algunos mss. antiguos dicen: han sido.
- Gálatas 6:15 Algunos mss. antiguos agregan: en Cristo Jesús.
- Gálatas 6:15 O criatura.
- Gálatas 6:16 O sigan esta regla.
- Gálatas 6:17 O cicatrices.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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