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

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

2 G od 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.

And 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.

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

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

4 S ome 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.

And 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),

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

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

6 T hose 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.

But 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.

7 A nyway, 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.

But 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

8 F or God helped Peter work with the Jews. He also helped me work with those who are not Jews.

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

9 J ames 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.

and 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.

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

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

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

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

12 P eter 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.

for 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.

13 T hen 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.

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

14 W hen 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?”

But 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?

15 Y ou and I were born Jews. We were not sinners from among the people who are not Jews.

We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

16 E ven 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.

knowing 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.

17 A s 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!

“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!

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

For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

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

For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.

20 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.

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.

21 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.

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