Galatians 2

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

Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along 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, for fear that I might possibly be taking, or might have already taken, a course which would prove useless.

I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain.

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

Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

4 But, on account of the false Brothers who had stolen in, the men who had crept in to spy upon the liberty which we have through union with Christ Jesus, in order to bring us back to slavery —

This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.

5 Why, we did not for a moment yield submission to them, that the Truth of the Good News might be yours always!

We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain 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 as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism —those leaders 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.

On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.

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

For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to 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 recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.

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

They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

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

When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.

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, for fear of offending those who still held to circumcision.

For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group.

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

The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

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?”

When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15 We, though we are Jews by birth and not outcasts 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 who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners”

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.’

know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

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

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!

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

If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker.

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

For through the law I died to the 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. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in 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 set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.