The Council at Jerusalem
1 Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. 2 I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3 But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
4 This issue arose because of false brothers that were secretly brought in (who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage). 5 But we did not submit to them, not for a moment, that the truth of the Gospel might be preserved for you.
6 But from those who were reputed to be important (Whatever they were, it makes no difference to me. God does not show partiality to man.), they imparted nothing to me, 7 but to the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the Gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had with the Gospel for the circumcised— 8 for he who was at work through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised was also at work through me with the Gentiles.
9 And when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.
Paul Confronts Peter
11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly wrong. 12 For Peter had been eating with the Gentiles before certain people came from James. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were pro-circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away in their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Peter before all of them, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?”
15 We, who are Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners, 16 know that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. So we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.
17 But if we, while seeking to be justified by Christ, were also found to be sinners, is Christ therefore a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild the things which I tore down, I prove myself a law-breaker. 19 For through the law, I died to the law, that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The 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. 21 I do not reject the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”