Galatians 2

The Apostles Accept Paul

1Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. 3And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile.#2:3 Greek a Greek.

4Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really#2:4 Greek some false brothers.—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.

6And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) 7Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. 8For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.

9In fact, James, Peter,#2:9 Greek Cephas; also in 2:11, 14. and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. 10Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.

Paul Confronts Peter

11But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

14When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?

15“You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”#2:16 Some translators hold that the quotation extends through verse 14; others through verse 16; and still others through verse 21.

17But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20My old self has been crucified with Christ.#2:20 Some English translations put this sentence in verse 19. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

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Galatians 2

The Council at Jerusalem

1Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2#2:2 Lit according to revelation I went upIt was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that somehow I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4Yet it was a concern because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy on our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. 5But we did not yield in subjection to them, even for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. 6But from those who #2:6 Lit reputed as being somethingwere of considerable repute (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism)—well, those who were of repute contributed nothing to me. 7But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel #2:7 Lit of the uncircumcision; i.e., to Gentilesto the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been #2:7 Lit of the circumcision; i.e., to Jewsto the circumcised 8(for He who was at work for Peter in his apostleship #2:8 See note 2 v 7to the circumcised was at work for me also to the Gentiles), 9and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, #2:9 Or JacobJames and #2:9 I.e., PeterCephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right #2:9 Lit handshand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.

Peter (Cephas) Opposed by Paul

11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he #2:11 Or was to be condemned; lit was one who was condemned; or was self-condemnedstood condemned. 12For prior to the coming of some men from #2:12 Or JacobJames, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, fearing those from the circumcision. 13The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14But when I saw that they were not #2:14 Or progressing toward; lit walking straightlystraightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?#2:14 Some close the direct quotation here, others extend it through v 21

15“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from the Gentiles; 16nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of #2:16 Or lawthe Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of #2:16 Or lawthe Law; since by works of #2:16 Or lawthe Law no #2:16 Or mortal manflesh will be justified. 17But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? #2:17 Lit May it never happen!Far from it! 18For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a wrongdoer. 19For through #2:19 Or lawthe Law I died to #2:19 Or lawthe Law, so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and #2:20 Or insofar as Ithe 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. 21I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through #2:21 Or lawthe Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

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