Paul Defends His Gospel at Jerusalem
1 Then after 14 years I went up againto Jerusalem with Barnabas,taking Titusalong also.
2 I went up according to a revelationand presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles — but privately to those recognized as leaders — so that I might not be running, or have run the race, in vain.
3 But not even Titus who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
4 This issue arose because of false brotherssmuggled in, who came in secretly to spy on the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.
5 But we did not give up and submit to these people for even an hour, so that the truthof the gospel would be preserved for you.
6 Now from those recognized as important (what they really were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism) — they added nothing to me.
7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised,just as Peterwas for the circumcised,
8 since the One at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles.
9 When James,Cephas,and John,recognized as pillars,acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10 They asked only that we would remember the poor,which I made every effort to do.
Freedom from the Law
11 But when Cephascame to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned.
12 For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.
13 Then the rest of the Jewsjoined his hypocrisy,so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephasin front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentileand not like a Jew,how can you compel Gentiles to livelike Jews? ”
15 We who are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners”
16 know that no one is justified by the works of the lawbut by faith in Jesus Christ.And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christand not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being willbe justified.
17 But if we ourselves are also found to be “sinners” while seeking to be justified by Christ,is Christ then a promoterof sin? Absolutely not!
18 If I rebuildthe systemI tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker.
19 For through the law I have died to the law,so that I might live for God.I have been crucified with Christ
20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.The life I now live in the body,I live by faith in the Son of God,who lovedmeand gave Himselffor me.
21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law,then Christ diedfor nothing.
—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/GAL/2-1f9752ba790f4a25a69ab6335bae7ba5.mp3?version_id=72—