Galatians

1Then after the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

2And I went up by revelation; and I laid before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately before them who were of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had run, in vain.

3But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

4and that because of the false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

5to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

6But from those who were reputed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man’s person)—they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me:

7but contrariwise, when they saw that I had been intrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the gospel of the circumcision

8(for he that wrought for Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision wrought for me also unto the Gentiles);

9and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision;

10only they would that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do.

11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned.

12For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision.

13And the rest of the Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation.

14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

15We being Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

16yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

17But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid.

18For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor.

19For I through the law died unto the law, that I might live unto God.

20I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

21I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nought.

The Council at Jerusalem

1Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.

2I 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.

3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

4This 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.

5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

6But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me.

7On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.

8For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.

9And 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.

10They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Paul Confronts Cephas

11When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

12For 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.

13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

14When 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?”

15We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners”

16know 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.

17But 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!

18If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker.

19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God.

20I 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.

21I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.