Defending the Gospel

2 Then after fourteen years aI went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up 1by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but bprivately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means cI might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of dfalse brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our eliberty which we have in Christ Jesus, fthat they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that gthe truth of the gospel might continue with you.

6 But from those hwho seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; iGod 2shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something jadded nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, kwhen they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised lhad been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the mcircumcised nalso oworked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, 3Cephas, and John, who seemed to be ppillars, perceived qthe grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, rthat we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, sthe very thing which I also was eager to do.

No Return to the Law

11 tNow when 4Peter had come to Antioch, I 5withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, uhe would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing 6those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about vthe truth of the gospel, I said to Peter wbefore them all, x“If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, 7why do you compel Gentiles to live as 8Jews? 15 yWe who are Jews by nature, and not zsinners of the Gentiles, 16 aknowing that a man is not 9justified by the works of the law but bby faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not cby the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found dsinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I ethrough the law fdied to the law that I might glive to God. 20 I have been hcrucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh iI live by faith in the Son of God, jwho loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for kif righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died 1in vain.”

Justification by Faith

3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you 1that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed 2among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, aor by the hearing of faith?—3 Are you so foolish? bHaving begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by cthe flesh? 4 dHave you suffered so 3many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 just as Abraham e“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only fthose who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And gthe Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, h“In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

The Law Brings a Curse

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, i“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is 4justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for j“the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet kthe law is not of faith, but l“the man who does them shall live by them.”

13 mChrist has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, n“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 othat the blessing of Abraham might come upon the pGentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive qthe promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Changeless Promise

15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: rThough it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of sone, t“And to your Seed,” who is uChrist. 17 And this I say, that the law, vwhich was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God 5in Christ, wthat it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if xthe inheritance is of the law, yit is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.