< Galatians 2 >
1 After 14 years passed, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas. I took Titus also.
After that, fourteen years later, I, again, went up unto Jerusalem, with Barnabas, taking with me Titus also;
2 But [I tell you that] I went up there because of what God revealed to me. [It was not because someone there asked me to come]. I told people what was the good message that I was preaching in regions where non-Jews live. But I talked privately to those whom your new teachers highly respect. I did that in order that what I was doing and what I had done [MET] might not become useless [MET] [as a result of people rejecting my message because they thought that I was teaching something that was not true].
And I went up by revelation, and laid before them the glad-message which I proclaim among the nations; privately, however, to them of repute, —lest, by any means, in vain, I should be running, or had run.
3 But [even though the leaders of the believers usually insisted that when non-Jews trusted in Christ someone must circumcise them], they did not even insist that Titus be circumcised, even though he was a Greek man who was with me.
But, not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised; —
4 [I talked to them privately] because some people [successfully] pretended that they were fellow believers and associated with the true believers. They did that in order that they might observe closely what we do because we are free [from having to obey all the Jewish laws and rituals] because of our close relationship with Christ Jesus [MET]. Those people wanted to make us [like] slaves [MET] [of those rituals by convincing us that we cannot trust Christ solely but that we must also obey all the Jewish rituals].
But, [this was] because of the false brethren secretly introduced, —who, indeed, came in secretly to spy out our freedom, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: —
5 But not even briefly did we [(exc)] do what they wanted [about circumcision. We(exc) resisted them] in order that the truth of the message about Christ might continue to [benefit] you.
Unto whom, not even for an hour, gave we place by the [required] submission, —in order that, the truth of the glad-message, might still abide with you.
6 The [leaders in Jerusalem], whom your new teachers respect, did not add anything to what I preach. [And I would add that] what status those leaders had did not influence me, because God does not favor certain/important persons [IDM] more than others.
Moreover, from them who were reputed to be something, —whatsoever at one time, they were, maketh no difference to me, God accepteth not a man’s person, —unto me, in fact, they who were of repute added nothing further;
7 Instead of those leaders adding to the message that I tell people, they understood that I had been given the good message {God had given the good message to me} so that I might proclaim it to the non-Jews [MTY], just like [God] had given the good message to Peter so that he might tell it to those who are Jews [MTY].
But, on the contrary, —when they saw that I had been entrusted with the glad-message to the uncircumcision, even as, Peter, [with that] to the circumcision,
8 That is, just like [God] had empowered/authorized Peter in order that he might be an apostle [to bring God’s message] to the Jews [MTY], he also had empowered/authorized me in order that I might be an apostle to [bring his message to] the non-Jews.
For, he that energised in Peter, into an apostleship to the circumcision, energised also in me, for the nations, —
9 And [those leaders] knew that God had kindly given to me this special work. So James, Peter, and John, the ones whom your new teachers [respect because they are] leaders [MET] [of the believers], shook hands with us [IDM] [to show that they agreed that Barnabas and I are serving the Lord just like they are, and that we are preaching the same message that they are preaching]. They also agreed that we [(exc)] are the ones whom God was sending to [tell his message to] non-Jews, but that God is sending them to [tell his message to] Jews [MTY].
And when they perceived the favour which had been given unto me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave, the right hand of fellowship, unto me and Barnabas, in order that, we, [should go] unto the nations, and, they, unto the circumcision: —
10 They merely urged that we [(exc)] still remember to help the poor [fellow believers who live in Jerusalem]. That is exactly what I have been eager to do.
Only that we should remember, the destitute, —as to which I had given diligence, this very thing, to do.
11 But [later while I was at] Antioch [city], after Peter came there, I told him directly [SYN] that what he was doing was wrong.
But, when Cephas came unto Antioch, to the face, [even], him, I resisted, because he stood condemned;
12 [This is what happened]: [Peter went to Antioch and started eating regularly with non-Jewish believers there]. Later there were certain [Jewish believers who] came [to Antioch who claimed that] James, [the leader of the congregations in Jerusalem], had sent them. But when [those certain] men came, Peter gradually quit [eating] with the non-Jewish believers and would not associate with them. He was afraid that the Jewish [believers from Jerusalem would criticize him for associating with non-Jews].
For, before that certain came from James, with them of the nations, used he to eat; whereas, when they came, he used to withdraw, and keep himself separate, fearing them of the circumcision;
13 Also, the other Jewish [believers who were in Antioch] [SYN] acted (insincerely/in a way that they knew was not right) along with [Peter]. The result was that they convinced even Barnabas to [stop associating with the non-Jewish believers]!
And the rest of the Jews [also] used hypocrisy with him, so that, even Barnabas, was carried away by their hypocrisy.
14 But when I realized that they were not acting according to the truth of the message about Christ, [when] all [the fellow believers there] were present, I told Peter [the following]: “Although you [(sg)] are a Jew, [you often conduct yourself] like non-Jews [do by disregarding Jewish laws about food. When you are among non-Jews], you [(sg)] do not customarily conduct yourself at all like Jews [do]. So, (now it is wrong that you [(sg)] are causing non-Jews [to think that they must obey all] the Jewish rituals and customs!/why are you [(sg)] causing non-Jews [to think that they must obey all] the Jewish rituals and customs?) [RHQ]”
But, when I saw that they were not walking with straightforwardness as regardeth the truth of the glad-message, I said unto Cephas, before all: If, thou, although, a Jew, like them of the nations, and not like the Jews, dost live, how dost thou compel, them of the nations, to live like Jews?
15 Some of us [believers] were born as Jews. We [(exc)] were not born as non-Jews. [We Jews have always considered non-Jews to be] ‘sinners’ [because they do not obey the Jewish rituals and laws].
We, by nature Jews, and not sinners from among the nations,
16 But we [(exc)] now know that it is not because some person obeys the laws [that God gave to Moses] that [God] erases the record of that person’s sins. [God erases the record of a person’s sins only if that person trusts in what Jesus Christ has done]. Even we [(exc)] Jews trusted Christ Jesus. We [(exc)] did that in order that [God] would erase the record of our sins because of our trusting Christ, and not because of our obeying the laws [that God gave to Moses. God has said that] he will [never] erase the record of people’s sins just because of their obeying those laws.
Knowing, however, that a man is not declared righteous by works of law, [nor at all] save through faith in Christ Jesus; even we, on Christ Jesus, believed, that we might be declared righteous—by faith in Christ, and not by works of law; because, by works of law, shall no flesh be declared righteous.
17 Furthermore, because we [(exc) Jews] desired that [God] would erase the record of our sins because of our relationship with Christ, [it means that] we realized that we ourselves were sinners [like non-Jews, whom we called] sinners, [because we(exc) also were not obeying the Jewish rituals and laws]. [But] ([we(inc) certainly cannot conclude] that it is Christ who causes us to sin./[should we conclude] that it is Christ who causes us to sin?) [RHQ] [No, Christ] certainly does not [cause anyone to sin].
Now, if in seeking to be declared righteous in Christ we, ourselves also, were found sinners, —is Christ, therefore, a minister, of sin? Far be it!
18 So if I should again believe [that God would erase the record of my sins because of my obeying the laws that he gave to Moses] [MET], [I would be like a man who] rebuilds an old building that he tore down. It would [soon] be clear that I am one who disobeys those same laws [that God gave to Moses].
For, if, the things that I pulled down, these, again, I build, a transgressor, I prove, myself, to be.
19 When [I realized that I could not earn God’s favor] by [obeying] the laws [that he gave to Moses, I decided not] to [respond to what those laws demanded] [MET], [just like] a dead person [does not respond to anything]. Now I live to [honor/serve] God.
For, I, through means of law, unto law, died, that, unto God, I might live: —
20 [It is as though] I was with Christ when he was crucified {died on the cross} [MET] (OR, [It is as though] my [old way of life ended when] Christ died on the cross.) No longer am I [directing the way I behave as I did before I believed in Christ]. Now Christ [is directing how] I [behave. And whatever I do] now while I live, I do it trusting in God’s Son. He is the one who loved me and offered himself [as a sacrifice] for me.
With Christ, have I been crucified; and, living no longer, am, I, but, living in me, is, Christ, —while, so far as I now do live in flesh, by faith, I live—The faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up in my behalf.
21 I am not rejecting [as useless] what God [did for me] ([kindly/that I did not deserve]), [as my opponents are doing. I fully accept that God saved me by acting kindly towards me]. If it is because people [obey the] laws [that God gave to Moses] that God erases the record of their sins, then Christ died (for nothing/needlessly).
I do not set aside the favour of God; for, if, through law, is righteousness, then, Christ, without cause, died.