Galatians 6

Helping Each Other in Faith

1-3 You must try to help others with their burdens, for Christ commanded us to do so. Never deceive yourselves into thinking you are too important to help others. If someone is overcome by sin, those who are filled with the Spirit must help him be restored – gently, and with humility. But be careful that those those who seek to help him do not become tempted themselves! Certainly, those have been instructed in the Word should share their learning.

4-6 Every person should examine his own works, for, ultimately, we will each answer to God for our own actions. (And then, if someone is pleased with his own conduct, he is the only one who will have to listen to his boasting!)

7-10 You simply cannot ignore God, for we shall reap what we sow. Whoever sows by the flesh will reap corruption. But whoever sows by the Spirit will harvest eternal life. So we should never lose our enthusiasm for doing good or put God to the back of our minds, because if we keep at it, we will reap our reward in good time. Do good towards everyone, whenever you have time, but especially to the household of faith.

11 (Look how large these letters are! It is because I write them with my own hand.)

15-17 In the future, don’t bother me with disputes about circumcision, etc. We are a new creation, not Jews and Gentiles. Circumcision is irrelevant. Peace and mercy are with all who hold to this rule, those who constitute the true Israel of God.

12-13 The ones who insist that everyone act Jewish are just trying to escape persecution by the Jewish authorities. They do not even follow the Law particularly well; they just want to brag about making converts to Judaism.

14 And understand: If I boast, it is not about myself. My only boast is in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon which I have been crucified to the world, and the world to me. So I have no reason to boast about worldly accomplishments. Perish the thought.

18 My brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

1 And if a man is overcome by something sinful, brothers, you -- the spirit-filled -- must restore such a person in the spirit of gentleness and humility, taking care lest you yourself also be tempted.

2 Carry each other’s burdens, thereby fulfilling Christ’s commandment.

3 For if anyone considers himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

4 Each must examine his own works; then he will not boast to others, but only to himself.

5 For we each will carry our own load.

6 And those who are instructed about the word should share in the learning, in all holiness.

7 Do not be misled: God will not be ignored. For what a man sows, he also harvests.

8 Thus who sows by his flesh, from flesh will harvest corruption, but who sows by the spirit, will harvest eternal life.

9 So we must not lose enthusiasm for the good we are doing, for if we do not give out, we will reap in due time.

10 As we have time, therefore, let us perform good towards all, and most especially towards the household of faith.

11 Look how large the letters are, that I write to you with my own hand.

12 Those who want to make a good showing in the flesh try to coerce you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

13 For the circumcised do not even observe the law themselves; they only want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh.

14 But perish the thought that I boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to it.

15 Thus, it is neither circumcision nor its absence that has any significance to us, but rather a new creation.

16 And may peace and mercy be with all who hold to this teaching, and upon the true Israel of God.

17 In the future let nobody trouble me about this, for I bear the stigmata of Jesus with my body.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

1 Brothers, and if is detected aOr overcome by; or surprised in. man in something sinful, you the spiritual must restore such person in spirit of gentleness bOr humility., taking care yourself, lest also you be tempted.

2 Of one another the burdens carry, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

3 For if considers someone to be something nothing being, he deceives himself

4 But the work of oneself must examine each, and then to himself alone the boasting cOr reason for boasting. Boast is not a very good translation, but it is the closest word in English to the Greek notion of expressing pride. As with many words, the Greek has a range of meaning. Sometimes it correpsonds exactly to “brag” or “boast”, intending a negative connotation; but the Greek word can refer to a simple act of stating one’s accomplishment without any particular criticism intended. It also may mean the reason one has to be pleased at something one has done, again with or without sinful pride involved. In this case, it would seem that Paul is telling the reader that he should examine his works himself and allows that the person might feel pleased if he has done something good, without commiting the sin of pridefulness. Or, possibly, there is a touch of sarcasm. will have and not to the other.

5 For each the own load dOr burden. The primary literal meaning of the words is that each bears his own burden. The verb is not imperative in mood, but simply indicative; so Paul is not so telling the Galatians what they should or must do — this is not encouragement to individual self-reliance. Rather, he is expressing a fact of life – in many ways we inevitably live and act, and will answer to God, as individuals. will carry.

6 And share the being-instructed-about the word in the instruction eOr with the instructing, i.e. with the one who instructs. Most translations agree that this means the learners should share something unstated with the teacher, but I believe they have it backwards. This seems more accurately translated as telling those with education that they should share their knowledge, rather than telling the listeners to give sustenance to teachers. in all holiness.

7 Do not be misled, god is not scorned fThe verb originates in the root of “bellow” or “roar”, but appears to have a meaning of turn up one’s nose, or wrinkle one’s nose, as a sign of disdain. Moreover, the present tense (in the indicative) is not well translated in the English present tense here. It is a “gnomic” present, indicating a universal and timeless truth. Paul is indicating that it is impossible to scorn God. But since, in fact, people do scorn or disdain God, either the verb definition is wrong, or else there is some implied mood. We use the active present as a very strong imperative in English (“A lady does not move her hips. We do not eat chicken with our fingers. It is simply not done.”) or with a silent condition of dire consequence (as Jim Croce put it, “You don’t mess around with Jim.”) But I am hard-pressed to think of a passive usage in English. All in all, “God will not be ignored” seems to capture the idea best.. For whatever might sow man, this also he harvests.

8 Therefore the sowing in the flesh of oneself from the flesh will harvest corruption, but the sowing in the spirit from the spirit will harvest life eternal.

9 So the good we-are-doing we must not lose-enthusiasm-for, for in time own we will harvest if not giving-out.

10 Therefore then as gThis could have either the meaning of while, directly contrasting to some unknown future time when there will not be such opportunity, or since, with more shading of because. Less likely, it might also mean when, in the sense that they should perform good as time and circumstances allow. time we have, let us perform the good towards hAlt. before. all, and most especially towards gSee g, above. the household of faith.

11 Look how large to you letters I wrote by my hand.

12 As many as desire to make a good appearance in flesh, these coerce you to be circumcised, only so that in the cross of Christ they might not be persecuted

13 for neither the circumcised themselves law observe, but want you to be circumcised so that in the belonging-to-you flesh they might boast.

14 But to me not let it be to boast if not in the cross of the Lord of us Jesus Christ, through whom to me universe is crucified and I to universe.

15 For neither circumcision something is nor uncircumcision, but new creation.

16 And for as many as will follow this rule, peace to them and mercy and to the Israel of God.

17 For the remainder distress to me nobody must cause, for I the stigmata of Jesus in the body of me bear.

18 The grace of the lord of us Jesus Christ with the spirit of you , brothers, amen.