Galatians 2:7–21

⁷But these, when they^* saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcision, just as Peter to the circumcision ⁸(for the one who was at work through Peter for his apostleship to the circumcision was at work also through me for the Gentiles), ⁹and when James and Cephas and John—those thought to be pillars—acknowledged the grace given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, in order that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision. ¹⁰They asked only that we should remember the poor, the very thing I was also eager to do.

Paul Confronts Peter at Antioch

¹¹But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was condemned. ¹²For before certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he^* was afraid of those who were of the circumcision, ¹³and the rest of the Jews also joined in this hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with them in their hypocrisy. ¹⁴But when I saw that they were not being straightforward with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of them all, “If you, although you^* are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Justified by Faith in Christ

¹⁵We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles, ¹⁶but knowing that a person is not justified by the works of the law, if not by faith in Jesus Christ,^c and we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we may be justified by faith in Christ^d and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified^e. ¹⁷But if while seeking to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also have been found to be sinners, then is Christ an agent of sin? May it never be! ¹⁸For if I build up again these things which I destroyed, I show myself to be a transgressor. ¹⁹For through the law I died to the law, in order that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, ²⁰and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹I do not declare invalid the grace of God, for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died to no purpose.