The Council at Jerusalem

1Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, having taken with me Titus also. 2Now I went up according to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles; but apart individually to those esteemed, lest hardly I might be running or have run in vain. 3But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised, 4even because of the false brothers brought in secretly, who came in by stealth to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus that they will enslave us, 5to whom we did not yield in subjection for even an hour, so that truth of the gospel would be preserved with you.

6Now of those esteemed to be something, whatsoever they were formerly makes no difference to me. God does not accept the person of a man—for the esteemed added nothing to me. 7But on the contrary, having seen that I have been entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcisiona just as Peter of the circumcisionb— 8for the One having worked in Peter for apostleship of the circumcision, did also in me toward the Gentiles— 9and having recognized the grace having been given to me, James and Cephasc and John, those esteemed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, but they to the circumcision, 10only that we should be mindful of the poor, also the same thing that I was eager to do.

Paul Confronts Cephas

11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. 12For before certain ones came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they came, he was drawing back and was separating himself, being afraid of those of the circumcision. 13And also the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically with him, so that, by their hypocrisy, even Barnabas was carried away.

14But when I saw that they are not walking in line according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before all, “If you being a Jew live like a Gentile, and not like a Jew, why do you compel the Gentiles to Judaize? 15We Jews by birth and not ‘sinners’ of the Gentiles, 16nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by works of law, except through faith from Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith from Christ, and not by works of the Law, because by works of the Law not any flesh will be justified.

17But if seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also have been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? Never may it be! 18For if I build again these things that I had torn down, I prove myself 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 no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And that which I now live in the flesh, I live through faith from the Son of God, the One having loved me and having given up Himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the Law, then Christ died for naught.”d