Galatians 2

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

Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

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 up by revelation, and I explained to them the Good News which I preach among those who are not Jewish, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

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

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

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 was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage;

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

to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, 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 important (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people)—they, I say, who were respected imparted 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 had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the Good News for the 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 appointed Peter to be an apostle of the circumcision appointed me also to the non-Jews);

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 when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the non-Jews, 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—which very thing I was also zealous to do.

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

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood 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 some people came from James, he ate with those who were not Jewish. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the 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 rest of the Jewish believers joined him in his hypocrisy; so that even Barnabas was carried away 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 according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live as the non-Jews do, and not as the Jews do, how can you compel the non-Jews to live as the Jews do?

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, being Jews by birth, and not non-Jewish 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.’

yet knowing that no one is justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

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 sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not.

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

For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a law-breaker.

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

For I, through the law, died to the law, 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 it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, 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 make void the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing."