Paul Called by God

¹¹ I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^(A) that the gospel I preached^(B) is not of human origin. ¹² I did not receive it from any man,^(C) nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation^(D) from Jesus Christ.^(E)

¹³ For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism,^(F) how intensely I persecuted the church of God^(G) and tried to destroy it.^{(H) 14} I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous^(I) for the traditions of my fathers.^{(J) 15} But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb^(K) and called me^(L) by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles,^(M) my immediate response was not to consult any human being.^{(N) 17} I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.^(O)

¹⁸ Then after three years,^(P) I went up to Jerusalem^(Q) to get acquainted with Cephas^[a] and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ I saw none of the other apostles—only James,^(R) the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ I assure you before God^(S) that what I am writing you is no lie.^(T)

²¹ Then I went to Syria^(U) and Cilicia.^{(V) 22} I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea^(W) that are in Christ.^{(X) 23} They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith^(Y) he once tried to destroy.”^{(Z) 24} And they praised God^(AA) because of me.

Paul Accepted by the Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem,^(AB) this time with Barnabas.^(AC) I took Titus^(AD) along also. ² I went in response to a revelation^(AE) and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.^(AF) I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race^(AG) in vain. ³ Yet not even Titus,^(AH) who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.^{(AI) 4} This matter arose because some false believers^(AJ) had infiltrated our ranks to spy on^(AK) the freedom^(AL) we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. ⁵ We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel^(AM) might be preserved for you.

⁶ As for those who were held in high esteem^(AN)—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism^(AO)—they added nothing to my message.^{(AP) 7} On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task^(AQ) of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,^[b](AR) just as Peter^(AS) had been to the circumcised.^{[c] 8} For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle^(AT) to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle^(AU) to the Gentiles. ⁹ James,^(AV) Cephas^[d](AW) and John, those esteemed as pillars,^(AX) gave me and Barnabas^(AY) the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.^(AZ) They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles,^(BA) and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor,^(BB) the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Paul Opposes Cephas

¹¹ When Cephas^(BC) came to Antioch,^(BD) I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. ¹² For before certain men came from James,^(BE) he used to eat with the Gentiles.^(BF) But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.^{(BG) 13} The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas^(BH) was led astray.

¹⁴ When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel,^(BI) I said to Cephas^(BJ) in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew.^(BK) How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?^(BL)

¹⁵ “We who are Jews by birth^(BM) and not sinful Gentiles^{(BN) 16} know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,^(BO) but by faith in Jesus Christ.^(BP) So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in^[e] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.^(BQ)

¹⁷ “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners,^(BR) doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!^{(BS) 18} If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

¹⁹ “For through the law I died to the law^(BT) so that I might live for God.^{(BU) 20} I have been crucified with Christ^(BV) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.^(BW) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,^(BX) who loved me^(BY) and gave himself for me.^{(BZ) 21} I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,^(CA) Christ died for nothing!”^[f]