1 T hen after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.

Fourteen years later I went again to Jerusalem. This time I took Barnabas. Titus went with us also.

2 A nd I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.

God showed me in a special way I should go. I spoke to them about the Good News that I preach among the people who are not Jews. First of all, I talked alone to the important church leaders. I wanted them to know what I was preaching. I did not want that which I was doing or would be doing to be wasted.

3 Y et not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

Titus was with me. Even being a Greek, he did not have to go through the religious act of becoming a Jew.

4 A nd this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),

Some men who called themselves Christians asked about this. They got in our meeting without being asked. They came there to find out how free we are who belong to Christ. They tried to get us to be chained to the Law.

5 t o whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

But we did not listen to them or do what they wanted us to do so the truth of the Good News might be yours.

6 B ut from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.

Those who seemed to be important church leaders did not help me. They did not teach me anything new. What they were, I do not care. God looks on us all as being the same.

7 B ut on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter

Anyway, they saw how I had been given the work of preaching the Good News to the people who are not Jews, as Peter had been given the work of preaching the Good News to the Jews.

8 ( for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),

For God helped Peter work with the Jews. He also helped me work with those who are not Jews.

9 a nd when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

James and Peter and John were thought of as being the head church leaders. They could see that God’s loving-favor had been given to me. Barnabas and I were joined together with them by shaking hands. Then we were sent off to work with the people who are not Jews. They were to work with the Jews.

10 T hey desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. No Return to the Law

They asked us to do only one thing. We were to remember to help poor people. I think this is important also.

11 N ow when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;

But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to stand up against him because he was guilty.

12 f or before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

Peter had been eating with the people who are not Jews. But after some men came who had been with James, he kept away from them. He was afraid of those who believe in the religious act of becoming a Jew.

13 A nd the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Then the rest of the Jews followed him because they were afraid to do what they knew they should do. Even Barnabas was fooled by those who pretended to be someone they were not.

14 B ut when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?

When I saw they were not honest about the truth of the Good News, I spoke to Peter in front of them all. I said, “If you are a Jew, but live like the people who are not Jews, why do you make the people who are not Jews live like the Jews?”

15 W e who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

You and I were born Jews. We were not sinners from among the people who are not Jews.

16 k nowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Even so, we know we cannot become right with God by obeying the Law. A man is made right with God by putting his trust in Jesus Christ. For that reason, we have put our trust in Jesus Christ also. We have been made right with God because of our faith in Christ and not by obeying the Law. No man can be made right with God by obeying the Law.

17 “ But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!

As we try to become right with God by what Christ has done for us, what if we find we are sinners also? Does that mean Christ makes us sinners? No! Never!

18 F or if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

But if I work toward being made right with God by keeping the Law, then I make myself a sinner.

19 F or I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.

The Law has no power over me. I am dead to the Law. Now I can live for God.

20 I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me.

I have been put up on the cross to die with Christ. I no longer live. Christ lives in me. The life I now live in this body, I live by putting my trust in the Son of God. He was the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me.

21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

I say that we are not to put aside the loving-favor of God. If we could be made right with God by keeping the Law, then Christ died for nothing.