Year of the Bible
Galatians 5
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Commentary on the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians, Chapter 5:
Paul exhorts the Galatians to accept the true gospel of Jesus Christ, to say yes to a relationship with God as a beloved child with “faith working through love”, and not return to the Law or ceremonies which cannot save as only Jesus can (vs. 1-6). While we’ve sensed Paul’s genuine shock that the churches in Galatia might turn from the gospel of Jesus (1:6, 3:1), his emotion flows from his love for these fellow believers and desire to protect them from a false message of legalism (vs. 7-12). As baptized believers in Christ we can freely choose to love others and “walk by the Spirit” (vs. 14-26)--not out of obligation or force, as a slave or servant would--but as a result of our loving relationship with God the Father.
Translation Note: The NABRE translation we hear at Mass offers a more literal translation of 5:16, “live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh,” a reminder that the indwelling of the Spirit is a supernatural gift that enables us to live as God desires us to.
Translation Note: The NABRE translation we hear at Mass offers a more literal translation of 5:16, “live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh,” a reminder that the indwelling of the Spirit is a supernatural gift that enables us to live as God desires us to.
The Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians, Chapter 5:
Christian Freedom
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Now I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteous ness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. 7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who called you. 9 A little leaven leavens all the dough. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and he who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brethren, still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves!
13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another.
The Works of the Flesh and the Fruit of the Spirit
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, good ness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control..." (Gal 5: 22-23) In what areas of my life do I experience the fruit of the Spirit? Jesus, is there an area in my life that I experience the works of the flesh? What do you want me to do about that?
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. cbsmich.org/join
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further
Galatas 5
1 Para esta libertad Cristo nos ha liberado.
Manteneos, por eso, firmes, y no os
dejéis sujetar de nuevo bajo el yugo de la
servidumbre.
2 Mirad: yo, Pablo, os digo que, si
os circuncidáis, Cristo no os servirá de
nada. 3 Y lo vuelvo a atestiguar a todo
hombre que se circuncida: queda obligado
a cumplir toda la Ley. 4 Os habéis
separado de Cristo los que buscáis la justicia
en la Ley; os habéis apartado de la
gracia. 5 Pues nosotros, por el Espíritu,
anhelamos a partir de la fe el fruto de la
justicia. 6 Porque en Cristo Jesús no tienen
valor ni la circuncisión ni la falta de
circuncisión, sino la fe que actúa por la
caridad.
7 Estabais corriendo bien. ¿Quién os
ha impedido obedecer a la verdad? 8 Esa
persuasión no procede del que os llamó.
9 Un poco de levadura hace fermentar
toda la masa. 10 Yo confío en vosotros en
el Señor que no tendréis otro sentir. El
que os desconcierta, sea quien sea, recibirá
el castigo merecido. 11 En cuanto a
mí, hermanos, si predico aún la circuncisión,
¿por qué me persiguen todavía?
Entonces habría desaparecido el escándalo
de la cruz. 12 ¡Ojalá se mutilaran los
que os inquietan!
13 Porque vosotros, hermanos, fuisteis
llamados a la libertad. Pero que
esta libertad no sea pretexto para la carne,
sino servíos unos a otros por amor.
14 Pues toda la Ley se resume en este único
precepto: Amarás a tu prójimo como
a ti mismo. 15 Y si os mordéis y os devoráis
unos a otros, mirad que acabaréis
por destruiros.
16 Y os digo: caminad en el Espíritu y no
deis satisfacción a la concupiscencia de
la carne.
17 Porque la carne tiene deseos contrarios
al espíritu, y el espíritu tiene deseos
contrarios a la carne, porque ambos
se oponen entre sí, de modo que no
podéis hacer lo que os gustaría.
18 Si os dejáis conducir por el Espíritu,
no estáis sujetos a la Ley. 19 Ahora
bien, están claras cuáles son las obras
de la carne: la fornicación, la impureza,
la lujuria, 20 la idolatría, la hechicería,
las enemistades, los pleitos, los celos,
las iras, las riñas, las discusiones, las divisiones,
21 las envidias, las embriagueces,
las orgías y cosas semejantes. Sobre
ellas os prevengo, como ya os he dicho,
que los que hacen esas cosas no heredarán
el Reino de Dios. 22 En cambio,
los frutos del Espíritu son: la caridad, el
gozo, la paz, la longanimidad, la benignidad,
la bondad, la fe, 23 la mansedumbre,
la continencia. Contra estos frutos
no hay ley.
24 Los que son de Jesucristo han crucificado
su carne con sus pasiones y
concupiscencias. 25 Si vivimos por el Espíritu,
caminemos también según el Espíritu.
26 No seamos ambiciosos de vanagloria,
provocándonos unos a otros,
envidiándonos recíprocamente.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
"Pero el fruto del Espíritu es amor, alegría, paz, paciencia, bondad, generosidad, fidelidad, mansedumbre, dominio propio ..." (Gálatas 5: 22-23) ¿En qué áreas de mi vida experimento el fruto del Espíritu? Jesús, ¿hay algún área en mi vida donde experimento las obras de la carne? ¿Qué quieres que haga al respecto?
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).