Galatians 2

1 Then after the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

Fourteen years afterward I went up to Jerusalem again with Barnabas, and I took Titus also with me.

2 And I went up by revelation; and I laid before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately before them who were of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had run, in vain.

It was in obedience to a revelation that I went; and I laid before the apostles the good news that I am proclaiming among the Gentiles. I did this privately before those who are thought highly of because I was afraid that I might possibly be taking, or might have already taken, a course which would prove useless.

3 But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

Yet even my companion, Titus, though a Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised.

4 and that because of the false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

But, because of those who pretended to be followers who had stolen in, the intruders who had crept in to spy on the liberty which we have through union with Christ Jesus, in order to bring us back to slavery –

5 to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Why, we did not for a moment yield submission to them, so that the truth of the good news might be yours always!

6 But from those who were reputed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man’s person)—they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me:

Of those who are thought somewhat highly of – what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not recognize human distinctions – those, I say, who are thought highly of added nothing to my message.

7 but contrariwise, when they saw that I had been intrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with [the gospel] of the circumcision

On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the good news for the Gentiles, just as Peter had been for the Jews.

8 (for he that wrought for Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision wrought for me also unto the Gentiles);

For he who gave Peter power for his mission to the Jews gave me, also, power to go to the Gentiles.

9 and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision;

Recognizing the charge entrusted to me, James, Peter, and John, who were regarded as pillars of the church, openly acknowledged Barnabas and me as fellow workers, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.

10 only [they would] that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do.

Only we were to remember the poor – the thing I was myself anxious to do.

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned.

But, when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face; for he stood self-condemned.

12 For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision.

Before certain persons came from James, he had been in the habit of eating with the Gentile converts; but, when they came, he began to withdraw and hold aloof, because he was afraid of offending those who still held to circumcision.

13 And the rest of the Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation.

The rest of the Jewish converts were guilty of the same hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led away by it.

14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before [them] all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

But, when I saw that they were not dealing straightforwardly with the truth of the good news, I said to Peter, before them all, “If you, who were born a Jew, adopt Gentile customs, instead of Jewish, why are you trying to compel the Gentile converts to adopt Jewish customs?”

15 We being Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

We, though we are Jews by birth and not sinners of Gentile origin, know that no one is pronounced righteous as the result of obedience to Law, but only through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience will not result in even one soul’s being pronounced righteous.

17 But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid.

If, while seeking to be pronounced righteous through union with Christ, we were ourselves seen to be sinners, would that make Christ an agent of sin? Heaven forbid!

18 For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor.

For, if I rebuild the things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong.

19 For I through the law died unto the law, that I might live unto God.

I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God.

20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

21 I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nought.

I do not reject the love of God. If righteousness comes through Law, then there was no need for Christ to die!