The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

(Acts 15:5–21)

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.

I went up because of a revelation and set before them the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles. I spoke privately to those who seemed to be important, in order to make sure that I was not running-or had not run-in vain.

But not even Titus, who was with me and who was a Greek, was forced to be circumcised.

The false brothers came in secretly to spy on the liberty we have in Christ Jesus. They desired to make us slaves,

but we did not yield in submission to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

But those who seemed to be important, whatever they were does not matter to me, God shows no partiality-those, I say, who seemed important added nothing to me.

On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to those who are uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to those who are circumcised.

For God, who worked in Peter for the apostleship to those who are circumcised, also worked in me to the Gentiles.

When James, Cephas, and John, who were recognized as those who built up the church, understood the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me. They did this so that we should go to the Gentiles, and so that they should go to those who are circumcised.

They requested only that we remember the poor, the very thing that I was eager to do.

Paul Confronts Cephas

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he was declared to be in the wrong.

Before certain men came from James, Cephas was eating with the Gentiles. But when these men came, he stopped and kept away from the Gentiles. He was afraid of those who were demanding circumcision.

Also the rest of the Jews joined in this hypocrisy. Even Barnabas was led astray with them by their hypocrisy.

But when I saw that their behavior was not following the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of all of them, “If you are a Jew but are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;

yet we know that no person is justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. We also came to faith in Christ Jesus so 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 will be justified.

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we too, were found to be sinners, does Christ then promote sin? Absolutely not!

For if I rebuild those things I once destroyed, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker.

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

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

(Acts 15:5–21)

Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

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

This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage,

to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you.

But from those who were reputed to be important—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man—they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me,

but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised—

for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles—

and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.

They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.

Paul Confronts Cephas

But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned.

For before some people came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?

“We, being Jews by nature and not Gentile sinners,

yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

But if while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not!

For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a law-breaker.

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

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That 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.

I don’t reject the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”