Then through fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
2And I went up by revelation. And I put before them the gospel which I proclaim in the nations, but privately to those seeming to be pillars, lest I run, or I ran, into vanity.
3(But not even Titus, the one with me, a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.)
4But because of those false brothers stealing in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus; they desiring to enslave us;
5to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
6But from those who seemed to be something (what kind they were then does not matter to me; God does not accept the face of man), for those seeming important conferred nothing to me.
7But on the contrary, seeing that I have been entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, as Peter to the circumcision;
8for He working in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision also worked in me to the nations.
9and knowing the grace given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, gave right hands of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we go to the nations, but they to the circumcision.
10Only they asked that we remember the poor, which very thing I was eager to do.
11But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was to be blamed.
12For before some came from James, he ate with the nations. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision.
13And the rest of the Jews also dissembled with him, so as even Barnabas was led away with their dissembling.
14But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before all, If you, being a Jew, live as a Gentile, and not as the Jews, why do you compel the nations to judaize?
15We Jews by nature, and not sinners of the nations,
16knowing that a man is not justified by works of the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ; even we believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law. For all flesh will not be justified by works of law.
17But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we also were found to be sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Let it not be said!
18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I confirm myself as a transgressor.
19For through the Law I died to the law, that I might live to God.
20I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself on my behalf.
21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness is through law, then Christ died without cause.