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Brothers and sisters, what if someone is caught in a sin? Then you who live by the Spirit should correct that person. Do it in a gentle way. But be careful. You could be tempted too. 2 Carry one another's heavy loads. If you do, you will fulfil the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are somebody when they are nobody, they are fooling themselves. 4 Each person should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves. They won't be comparing themselves to someone else. 5 Each person should carry their own load. 6 But those who are taught the word should share all good things with their teacher. 7 Don't be fooled. You can't outwit God. A man gathers a crop from what he plants. 8 Some people plant to please their desires controlled by sin. From these desires they will harvest death. Others plant to please the Holy Spirit. From the Spirit they will harvest eternal life. 9 Let us not become tired of doing good. At the right time we will gather a crop if we don't give up. 10 So when we can do good to everyone, let us do it. Let's try even harder to do good to the family of believers.
6:1–10 Paul reminded the believers in Galatia to do good to one another. They needed to be humble and gentle. This was especially true when they corrected one another. They needed to give freely to teachers who taught them the truth about Jesus. And they needed to help other believers with things that were hard for them. Paul described this as carrying one another's heavy loads. It's what Jesus taught people to do in Christ's law. At the same time, each Galatian believer was to carry their own load. This means that each believer is responsible to God for the choices they make. They can choose to act according to desires that are sinful. Or they can choose to act in ways that please the Holy Spirit. Paul described these choices like seeds that people plant. What happens as a result of their actions is the crop that is harvested. When people follow Jesus' example, the harvest is eternal life in God's kingdom. But the harvest of sinful actions leads to death.
11 Look at the big letters I'm using as I write to you with my own hand!
12 Some people are worried about how things look on the outside. They are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do it for only one reason. They don't want to suffer by being connected with the cross of Christ. 13 Even those who are circumcised don't obey the law. But they want you to be circumcised. Then they can boast about what has been done to your body. 14 I never want to boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through that cross the ways of the world have been crucified as far as I am concerned. And I have been crucified as far as the ways of the world are concerned. 15 Circumcision and uncircumcision don't mean anything. What really counts is that the new creation has come. 16 May peace and mercy be given to all who follow this rule. May peace and mercy be given to the Israel that belongs to God.
17 From now on, let no one cause trouble for me. My body has marks that show I belong to Jesus.
18 Brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
6:11–18 Jews who believed that Jesus is the Messiah didn't need to obey the Law of Moses. Yet Jewish leaders treated Jews badly if they didn't obey Jewish laws. Some Jewish believers in Galatia didn't want to be treated badly for following Jesus. So they wanted everyone to think that they still followed all the Jewish laws. They also tried to make Gentile believers follow Jewish laws about circumcision. Paul explained that the laws about circumcision didn't matter anymore. What matters is the new creation that Jesus brought when he died on the cross. Paul's body had scars from being treated badly for following Jesus. He was willing to suffer for belonging to Jesus.