Paul Accepted by the Apostles

1Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2And I went up [†]because of a revelation, and I laid out to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, lest 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. 4But this was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. 5But we did not yield in subjection to them for even [†]a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. 6But from those who [†]were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God [†]shows no partiality)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. 7But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel [†]to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been [†]to the circumcised 8(for He who worked in Peter unto his apostleship [†]to the circumcised worked in me also unto the Gentiles), 9and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and [†]John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right [†]hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10Only they asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.

Paul Opposes Peter (Cephas)

11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he [†]stood condemned. 12For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he began to shrink back and separate himself, fearing [†]the party of the circumcision. 13And the 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 [†]straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before everyone, “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?[†]

15“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; 16nevertheless [†]knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of [†]the Law no [†]flesh will be justified. 17But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! 18For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19For through [†]the Law I died to [†]the Law, so that I might live to God. 20I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And 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. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through [†]the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”