Galatians 2

1 Then after fourteen years again I went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas, having also taken Titus with me;

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.

2 and I went up by revelation, and submitted the good news to them that I preach among the nations, and privately to those esteemed, lest I ran or might run in vain;

I went up because of a revelation and set before them the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles. I spoke privately to those who seemed to be important, in order to make sure that I was not running—or had not run—in vain.

3 but not even Titus, who [is] with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised—

But not even Titus, who was with me and who was a Greek, was forced to be circumcised.

4 and [that] because of the false brothers brought in unaware, who came in secretly to spy out our liberty that we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us under bondage,

The false brothers came in secretly to spy on the liberty we have in Christ Jesus. They desired to make us slaves,

5 to whom not even for an hour we gave place by subjection, that the truth of the good news might remain to you.

but we did not yield in submission to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

6 And from those who were esteemed to be something—whatever they were then, it makes no difference to me. God does not accept the face of man, for to me those esteemed added nothing,

But those who seemed to be important (whatever they were does not matter to me, God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed important added nothing to me.

7 but on the contrary, having seen that I have been entrusted with the good news of the uncircumcision, as Peter with [that] of the circumcision,

On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to those who are uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to those who are circumcised.

8 for He who worked with Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, worked also in me in regard to the nations,

For God, who worked in Peter for the apostleship to those who are circumcised, also worked in me to the Gentiles.

9 and having known the grace that was given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who were esteemed to be pillars, they gave to me a right hand of fellowship, and to Barnabas, that we may go to the nations, and they to the circumcision,

When James, Cephas, and John, who were recognized as those who built up the church, understood the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me. They did this so that we should go to the Gentiles, and so that they should go to those who are circumcised.

10 only, that we should be mindful of the poor, which I also was diligent—this very thing—to do.

They requested only that we remember the poor, the very thing that I was eager to do.

11 And when Peter came to Antioch, I stood up against him to the face, because he was blameworthy,

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he was declared to be in the wrong.

12 for before the coming of some from James, he was eating with the nations, and when they came, he was withdrawing and separating himself, fearing those of circumcision,

Before certain men came from James, Cephas was eating with the Gentiles. But when these men came, he stopped and kept away from the Gentiles. He was afraid of those who were demanding circumcision.

13 and the other Jews acted hypocritically with him, so that Barnabas was also carried away by their hypocrisy.

Also the rest of the Jews joined in this hypocrisy. Even Barnabas was led astray with them by their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that they are not walking uprightly to the truth of the good news, I said to Peter before all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of the nations, and not in the manner of the Jews, how do you compel the nations to live like Jews?

But when I saw that their behavior was not following the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of all of them, “If you are a Jew but are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15 We by nature Jews, and not sinners of the nations,

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;

16 having also known that a man is not declared righteous by works of law, but through faith from Jesus Christ, we also believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be declared righteous by faith from Christ, and not by works of law, because no flesh will be declared righteous by works of law.”

yet we know that no person is justified by the works of the law but through faith in Christ Jesus. We also came to faith in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law no flesh will be justified.

17 And if, seeking to be declared righteous in Christ, we were also ourselves found sinners, [is] Christ then a servant of sin? Let it not be!

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we too, were found to be sinners, does Christ then promote sin? Absolutely not!

18 For if the things I threw down, these again I build up, I set myself forth [as] a transgressor;

For if I rebuild those things I once destroyed, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker.

19 for I died through law that I may live to God;

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live for God.

20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me; and that which I now live in the flesh—I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me;

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

21 I do not make the grace of God void, for if righteousness [is] through law—then Christ died in vain.

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, then Christ died for nothing!