Paul Accepted by the Other Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and also took Titus with me. ² I went up in response to a revelation and communicated to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. But privately I communicated to those who were of reputation, in case I might be running, or had run, in vain. ³ But even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised. ⁴ This happened because false brothers were secretly brought in, who sneaked in to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage. ⁵ We did not yield to subjection to them, not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

⁶ But of these who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality to anyone—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. ⁷ On the contrary, they saw that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, as the gospel to the circumcised was to Peter. ⁸ For He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles. ⁹ When James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, understood the grace that was given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ Only they requested that we should remember the poor, which I also was eager to do.

Paul Rebukes Peter in Antioch

¹¹ But when Peter came to Antioch, I withstood him face to face, because he stood condemned. ¹² Before certain men came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. ¹³ And the other Jews, likewise, joined together in hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.

¹⁴ 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 like a Gentile and not like a Jew, why do you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”^[a]

Jews, Like Gentiles, Are Saved by Faith

¹⁵ We are Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners, ¹⁶ yet we know 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 might be justified by faith in Christ, rather than by the works of the law. For by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

¹⁷ If, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found to be sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sin? God forbid! ¹⁸ For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

¹⁹ For through the law I am dead to the law, that I might live for God. ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God,^[b] who loved me and gave Himself for me. ²¹ I do not nullify the grace of God. For if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ died in vain.