⁵ Then some of the believers who belonged to the party^(A) of the Pharisees^(B) stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”^(C)

Freedom in Christ

5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.^(A) Stand firm,^(B) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.^(C)

² Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,^(D) Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³ Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.^(E)

⁵ circumcised^(A) on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,^(B) of the tribe of Benjamin,^(C) a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;^{(D) 6} as for zeal,^(E) persecuting the church;^(F) as for righteousness based on the law,^(G) faultless.

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss^(H) for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing^(I) Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ^(J)

The Council at Jerusalem

15 Certain people^(A) came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers:^(B) “Unless you are circumcised,^(C) according to the custom taught by Moses,^(D) you cannot be saved.”

²⁰ When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous^(A) for the law.^(B)

⁵ They have known me for a long time^(A) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect^(B) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.^{(C) 6} And now it is because of my hope^(D) in what God has promised our ancestors^(E) that I am on trial today.

⁵ “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots^(A) among the Jews^(B) all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene^(C) sect^(D)