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Then, fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took with me Titus also.

And I went up by revelation and declared to them that Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles (but privately to those who were the chief, lest by any means I should run - or had run - in vain).

But not even Titus - who was with me, though he were a Grecian - was compelled to be circumcised,

This was because of the false brethren who were craftily sent in; and crept in privately to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into bondage.

But we gave them no place, not even for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you.

But by those who seemed to be great, I was not taught (whatever they were in time past, I am nothing the better; God accepts no man’s person) For those who are the chief have added nothing to me above what I had.

But on the contrary, when they saw that the Gospel was committed to me over the uncircumcision, as the Gospel over the circumcision was to Peter:

(For he who was mighty by Peter in the Apostleship over the circumcision, was also mighty by me toward the Gentiles.)

And when James and Cephas and John knew of the grace that was given to me - who are counted as pillars - they gave to me and to Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should preach to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision;

10 Warning only that we should remember the poor. Which I was also diligent to do.

11 And when Peter had come to Antioch, I opposed him to his face. For he was to be condemned.

12 For before certain ones came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they had come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

13 And the other Jews likewise played the hypocrites with him. So much so that Barnabas was led away with them by their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that they did not go the right way to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Peter before all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles, and not like the Jews, why constrain the Gentiles to do like the Jews?

15 “We, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners,

16 “know that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we, I say, have believed in Jesus Christ; that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law. Because, by the works of the Law, no flesh shall be justified.

17 “If then, while we seek to be made righteous by Christ, we ourselves are found sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sin? May it never be!

18 “For if I build again the things that I have destroyed, I make myself a trespasser.

19 “For I, through the Law, am dead to the Law, that I might live to God.

20 “I am crucified with Christ, but I live; yet not I anymore, but Christ lives in me. And, in that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith in the Son of God, Who has loved me, and given Himself for me.

21 “I do not abrogate the grace of God. For if righteousness is by the Law, then Christ died for nothing.”

Paul Accepted by the Apostles

Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem,(A) this time with Barnabas.(B) I took Titus(C) along also. I went in response to a revelation(D) and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.(E) I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race(F) in vain. Yet not even Titus,(G) who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.(H) This matter arose because some false believers(I) had infiltrated our ranks to spy on(J) the freedom(K) we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel(L) might be preserved for you.

As for those who were held in high esteem(M)—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism(N)—they added nothing to my message.(O) On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task(P) of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,[a](Q) just as Peter(R) had been to the circumcised.[b] For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle(S) to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle(T) to the Gentiles. James,(U) Cephas[c](V) and John, those esteemed as pillars,(W) gave me and Barnabas(X) the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.(Y) They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles,(Z) and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor,(AA) the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Paul Opposes Cephas

11 When Cephas(AB) came to Antioch,(AC) I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James,(AD) he used to eat with the Gentiles.(AE) But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.(AF) 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas(AG) was led astray.

14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel,(AH) I said to Cephas(AI) in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew.(AJ) How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?(AK)

15 “We who are Jews by birth(AL) and not sinful Gentiles(AM) 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,(AN) but by faith in Jesus Christ.(AO) So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[d] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.(AP)

17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners,(AQ) doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!(AR) 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

19 “For through the law I died to the law(AS) so that I might live for God.(AT) 20 I have been crucified with Christ(AU) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.(AV) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,(AW) who loved me(AX) and gave himself for me.(AY) 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,(AZ) Christ died for nothing!”[e]

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 2:7 That is, Gentiles
  2. Galatians 2:7 That is, Jews; also in verses 8 and 9
  3. Galatians 2:9 That is, Peter; also in verses 11 and 14
  4. Galatians 2:16 Or but through the faithfulness of … justified on the basis of the faithfulness of
  5. Galatians 2:21 Some interpreters end the quotation after verse 14.