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.”