Galatians 5:13–14
Freedom is used to serve one another in love
Study it word by word13For you were called to freedom, brothers; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve as slaves to one another.
14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
In its context
11But I, brothers, if I still proclaim circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.
12I wish that those who are upsetting you would also mutilate themselves.
…
15But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
16But I say: walk by the Spirit, and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Its words in the original
- ἐλευθερίᾳeleutheriai· freedom
Freedom: not being subject as a slave.
- ἐκλήθητεeklēthēte· call
Call; name; invite.
- ἀδελφοίadelphoi· brother
Brother. Also a close relative, a fellow countryman and, among believers, a brother in the faith.
- μόνονmonon· only, alone
Alone, only.
- ἀφορμὴνaphormēn· opportunity
Opportunity, occasion: a starting point or base from which to act.
- σαρκίsarki· flesh
Flesh: the body, and weak human nature; "flesh and blood", a human being with only human strength.
- ἀγάπηςagapēs· love
Love.
- δουλεύετεdouleuete· be a slave
Serve as a slave, be wholly at someone's service.
- ἀλλήλοιςallēlois· one another
One another, each other.
- νόμοςnomos· law
Law. In the Gospels, above all the law of Moses, the Torah.
- ἑνὶheni· one
One.
- λόγῳlogōi· word
Word, saying, message; also reason, cause, account.
- πεπλήρωταιpeplērōtai· fulfill, fill
Fill; fulfill: bring about what a word announced.
- ἈγαπήσειςAgapēseis· love
Love: to seek the good of the other, even of someone who does not deserve it.
- πλησίονplēsion· near, neighbor
Near; "the neighbor": the one who is near, the other person.
- σεαυτόνseauton· yourself
Yourself.