² Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,^(A) Christ will be of no value to you at all.

⁶ For in Christ Jesus^(A) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.^(B) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.^(C)

³ Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.^{(A) 4} You who are trying to be justified by the law^(B) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.^(C)

³ Yet not even Titus,^(A) who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.^{(B) 4} This matter arose because some false believers^(C) had infiltrated our ranks to spy on^(D) the freedom^(E) 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^(F) might be preserved for you.

³¹ but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness,^(A) have not attained their goal.^{(B) 32} Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.^(C)

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.”

² For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.^[a](A)

² For I can testify about them that they are zealous^(A) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. ³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.^(B)

Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness^(A) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,^(B) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away!