²¹ but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.

Serving All Men

¹⁹ For though I am ^(A)free from all men, ^(B)I have made myself a servant to all, ^(C)that I might win the more; ²⁰ and ^(D)to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the ^[a]law, that I might win those who are under the law; ^21 (E)to ^(F)those who are without law, as without law ^(G)(not being without ^[b]law toward God, but under ^[c]law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;

¹² As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, ^(A)only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But God forbid that I should boast except in the ^(B)cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by ^[a]whom the world has been crucified to me, and ^(C)I to the world. ¹⁵ For ^(D)in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Christian Liberty

5 ^(A)Stand^[a] fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a ^(B)yoke of bondage. ² Indeed I, Paul, say to you that ^(C)if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. ³ And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised ^(D)that he is ^[b]a debtor to keep the whole law. ^4 (E)You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; ^(F)you have fallen from grace. ⁵ For we through the Spirit eagerly ^(G)wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. ⁶ For ^(H)in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but ^(I)faith working through love.

²⁸ crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man ^(A)who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”

¹⁹ Therefore ^(A)I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who ^(B)are turning to God, ²⁰ but that we ^(C)write to them to abstain ^(D)from things polluted by idols, ^(E)from ^[a]sexual immorality, ^(F)from things strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, ^(G)being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

¹⁸ Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? ^(A)Let him not be circumcised. ^19 (B)Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but ^(C)keeping the commandments of God is what matters.

The Law of Liberty

14 Receive^(A) one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. ² For one believes he ^(B)may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. ³ Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and ^(C)let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. ^4 (D)Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

^5 (E)One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ He who ^(F)observes the day, observes it to the Lord; ^[a]and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for ^(G)he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

Paul’s Ministry at Rome

¹⁷ And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, ^(A)though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet ^(B)I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,