Galatians 2

1 And again, after fourteen years, I went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas; and I took with me Titus.

Later still, after an interval of fourteen years, I again went up to Jerusalem in company with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

2 And I went up by revelation: and I explained to them the gospel which I announce among the Gentiles; and I stated it to them who were esteemed prominent, between myself and them: lest I should have run, or might run in vain.

I went up in obedience to a revelation of God's will; and I explained to them the Good News which I proclaim among the Gentiles. To the leaders of the Church this explanation was made in private, lest by any means I should be running, or should already have run, in vain.

3 Also Titus, who was with me, and was a Gentile, was not compelled to be circumcised.

But although my companion Titus was a Greek they did not insist upon even his being circumcised.

4 And in regard to the false brethren, who had crept in to spy out the liberty we have in Jesus the Messiah, in order to bring me under subjection;

Yet there was danger of this through the false brethren secretly introduced into the Church, who had stolen in to spy out the freedom which is ours in Christ Jesus, in order to rob us of it.

5 not for the space of an hour, did we throw ourselves into subjection to them; so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

But not for an hour did we give way and submit to them; in order that the Good News might continue with you in its integrity.

6 And they who were esteemed prominent, (what they were, I care not; for God regardeth not the persons of men, ) even these persons added nothing to me.

From those leaders I gained nothing new. Whether they were men of importance or not, matters nothing to me--God recognizes no external distinctions. To me, at any rate, the leaders imparted nothing new.

7 But, otherwise; for they saw, that the gospel of the uncircumcision was intrusted to me, as to Cephas was intrusted that of the circumcision.

Indeed, when they saw that I was entrusted with the preaching of the Good News to the Gentiles as Peter had been with that to the Jews--

8 For he that was operative with Cephas in the legateship of the circumcision, was also operative with me in the legateship of the Gentiles.

for He who had been at work within Peter with a view to his Apostleship to the Jews had also been at work within me with a view to my Apostleship to the Gentiles--

9 And James, Cephas, and John, who were accounted pillars, when they perceived the grace that was given to me, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship; that we should labor among the Gentiles, and they among the circumcision.

and when they perceived the mission which was graciously entrusted to me, they (that is to say, James, Peter, and John, who were considered to be the pillars of the Church) welcomed Barnabas and me to their fellowship on the understanding that we were to go to the Gentiles and they to the Jews.

10 Only they desired that we would be mindful of the needy; and I was solicitous to do the same.

Only they urged that we should remember their poor--a thing which was uppermost in my own mind.

11 But when Cephas was come to Antioch, I rebuked him to his face; because they were stumbled by him.

Now when Peter visited Antioch, I remonstrated with him to his face, because he had incurred just censure.

12 For before certain ones came from James, he ate with the Gentiles: but when they came, he withdrew himself, and separated; because he was afraid of them of the circumcision.

For until certain persons came from James he had been accustomed to eat with Gentiles; but as soon as these persons came, he withdrew and separated himself for fear of the Circumcision party.

13 And the rest of the Jews also were with him in this thing; insomuch that even Barnabas was induced to regard persons.

And along with him the other Jews also concealed their real opinions, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their lack of straightforwardness.

14 And when I saw, that they did not walk correctly, in the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas, before them all: If thou art a Jew, and livest in the Gentile way, and not in the Jewish, why dost thou compel the Gentiles to live in the Jewish way?

As soon as I saw that they were not walking uprightly in the spirit of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, though you are a Jew, live as a Gentile does, and not as a Jew, how can you make the Gentiles follow Jewish customs?

15 For if we, who are Jews by nature, and are not sinners of the Gentiles,

You and I, though we are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners,

16 because we know that a man is not made just by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus the Messiah; even we have believed in Jesus the Messiah, in order to be made just by faith in the Messiah, and not by the works of the law: for, by the deeds of the law, no flesh is made just.

know that it is not through obedience to Law that a man can be declared free from guilt, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. We have therefore believed in Christ Jesus, for the purpose of being declared free from guilt, through faith in Christ and not through obedience to Law. For through obedience to Law no human being shall be declared free from guilt.

17 And if, while we seek to become just by the Messiah, we are found to be ourselves sinners, is Jesus the Messiah therefore the minister of sin? Far be it!

But if while we are seeking in Christ acquittal from guilt we ourselves are convicted of sin, Christ then encourages us to sin! No, indeed.

18 For if I should build up again the things I had demolished, I should show myself to be a transgressor of the precept.

Why, if I am now rebuilding that structure of sin which I had demolished, I am thereby constituting myself a transgressor;

19 For I, by the law, have become dead to the law, that I might live to God; and I am crucified with the Messiah.

for it is by the Law that I have died to the Law, in order that I may live to God.

20 And henceforth it is no more I who live, but the Messiah liveth in me: and 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.

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me; and the life which I now live in the body I live through faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up to death on my behalf.

21 I do not spurn the grace of God. For if righteousness is by means of the law, the Messiah died in vain.

I do not nullify the grace of God; for if acquittal from guilt is obtainable through the Law, then Christ has died in vain."