Galatians 2

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

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, having taken along Titus also.

2 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.

And I went up according to revelation, and I declared to them the good news that I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of repute, lest somehow I might be running or ran in vain.

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

But not even Titus with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

4 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 –

But that issue was because of those false brothers smuggled in, who sneaked in to spy out our liberty that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might enslave us,

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

to whom we yielded in subjection not even for an hour, so that the truth of the good news might continue with you.

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

But from those who were reputed to be something (what kind they were formerly, it makes no difference to me, God does not accept a personage of man), for those who were of repute added nothing to me,

7 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.

but to the contrary, when they saw that I was entrusted with the good news for men of uncircumcision, as Peter for men of circumcision

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

(for he who was working in Peter for the apostleship for men of circumcision was also working in me for the Gentiles),

9 Recognising 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.

and James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, when they understood the grace that was given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship. So that we were for the Gentiles, and they for men of circumcision,

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

only that we should remember the poor, which this same thing I also was eager to do.

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

But when Peter came to Antioch I opposed him to the face, because he was blameworthy.

12 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.

For before certain men came from James he ate together with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing men of circumcision.

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

And the other Jews also joined in hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas went along with their hypocrisy.

14 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?’

But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly toward the truth of the good news, I said to Peter before all, If thou being a Jew, live as a Gentile and not as a Jew, why do thou compel the Gentiles to live as Jews?

15 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.

We are Jews by nature and not sinful men of the Gentiles,

16 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.

knowing that a man is not made righteous from works of law, instead through faith of Jesus Christ. And we believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made righteous from faith of Christ, and not from works of law, because no flesh will be made righteous from works of law.

17 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!

But if, while seeking to be made righteous in Christ, we ourselves were also found sinful, then is Christ an aide of sin? May it not happen!

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

For if I build again these things that I tore down, I demonstrate myself a transgressor.

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

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

20 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.

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

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

I do not disregard the grace of God, for if righteousness is through law, then Christ died in vain.