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Then epeita after dia fourteen dekatessares years etos I went up anabainō again palin to eis Jerusalem Hierosolyma with meta Barnabas Barnabas, taking symparalambanō Titus Titos along as well kai. I went up anabainō · de in response to kata a revelation apokalypsis and kai laid out before anatithēmi them autos though de privately kata before the ho acknowledged dokeō leaders— the ho gospel euangelion that hos I proclaim kēryssō among en the ho Gentiles ethnos, lest somehow pōs I was running trechō, or ē had run trechō, in eis vain kenos. Yet alla not oude even Titus Titos, who ho was with syn me egō, was compelled anankazō to be circumcised peritemnō, though he was eimi a Greek Hellēn. This matter came up because dia of · de some ho false brothers pseudadelphos secretly brought in pareisaktos they hostis had slipped in pareiserchomai to spy out kataskopeō · ho our hēmeis freedom eleutheria that hos we have echō in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous so that hina they might make slaves of katadouloō us hēmeis but to them hos we did eikō not oude yield eikō in ho submission hypotagē even for pros a moment hōra, so that hina the ho truth alētheia of the ho gospel euangelion would be preserved diamenō for pros you hymeis. But de from apo those ho who were supposed dokeō to be eimi acknowledged leaders tis ( what hopoios they were eimi makes diapherō no oudeis difference diapherō to me egō; God theos shows lambanō no ou partiality prosōpon) · ho those ho leaders dokeō contributed prosanatithēmi nothing oudeis to me egō. But alla on the contrary, when they saw that hoti I had been entrusted pisteuō with the ho gospel euangelion for the ho uncircumcised akrobystia just kathōs as Peter Petros had been entrusted with the gospel for the ho circumcised peritomē ( for gar the ho one who empowered energeō Peter Petros for eis his apostleship apostolē to the ho circumcised peritomē also kai empowered energeō me for mine egō to eis the ho Gentiles ethnos) and kai when James Iakōbos and kai Cephas Kēphas and kai John Iōannēs, who ho were eimi acknowledged dokeō pillars stylos, recognized ginōskō the ho grace charis that ho had been given didōmi to me egō, they gave didōmi to Barnabas Barnabas and kai me egō the right dexios hand of fellowship koinōnia, agreeing that hina we hēmeis should go to eis the ho Gentiles ethnos and de they autos to eis the ho circumcised peritomē. 10 They asked only monon that hina we should continue to remember mnēmoneuō the ho poor ptōchos, the hos very autos thing houtos I too kai was eager spoudazō to do poieō.

11 But de when hote Cephas Kēphas came erchomai to eis Antioch Antiocheia, I opposed anthistēmi him to kata his autos face prosōpon, because hoti he stood eimi condemned kataginōskō. 12 For gar until pro certain men tis came erchomai from apo James Iakōbos, he used to eat synesthiō with meta the ho Gentiles ethnos; but de when hote they arrived erchomai, he began to draw back hypostellō and kai separate aphorizō himself heautou because he feared phobeomai those ho of ek the circumcision peritomē party . 13 And kai the ho rest loipos of the Jews Ioudaios joined synypokrinomai him autos in playing the hypocrite, · kai so that hōste even kai Barnabas Barnabas was led astray synapagō by ho their autos hypocrisy hypokrisis. 14 But alla when hote I saw that hoti they were not ou behaving in a manner consistent orthopodeō with pros the ho truth alētheia of the ho gospel euangelion, I said legō to ho Cephas Kēphas before emprosthen them all pas, “ If ei you sy, born hyparchō a Jew Ioudaios, live zaō like a Gentile ethnikōs and kai not ouchi like a Jew Ioudaikōs, by what right pōs are you trying to make anankazō the ho Gentiles ethnos live like Jews?”

15 We hēmeis ourselves are Jews Ioudaios by birth physis and kai not ou Gentile ethnos sinners hamartōlos; 16 yet de we know oida that hoti no ou one anthrōpos is justified dikaioō by ek the works ergon of the law nomos but ean mē through dia faith pistis in Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos. And kai we hēmeis have come to believe pisteuō in eis Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous, so that hina we might be justified dikaioō by ek faith pistis in Christ Christos, and kai not ou by doing ek the works ergon of the law nomos, since hoti no ou one pas will be justified dikaioō by ek the works ergon of the law nomos. 17 But de if ei, while seeking zēteō to be justified dikaioō in en Christ Christos, we ourselves autos have also kai been found heuriskō to be sinners hamartōlos, is Christ Christos then ara a servant diakonos of sin hamartia? Of course not ! 18 But gar if ei I build up oikodomeō again palin those houtos things hos I once tore down katalyō, then I demonstrate synistēmi that I emautou am a lawbreaker parabatēs. 19 For gar through dia the law nomos I egō died apothnēskō to the law nomos so that hina I might live zaō for God theos. I have been crucified systauroō with Christ Christos; 20 and de I egō no longer ouketi live zaō, but de Christ Christos lives zaō in en me egō. And de the hos life I now nyn live zaō in en the flesh sarx, I live zaō by en faith pistis in ho the ho Son hyios of ho God theos, who ho loved agapaō me egō and kai gave paradidōmi himself heautou for hyper me egō. 21 I do not ou nullify atheteō the ho grace charis of ho God theos; for gar if ei righteousness dikaiosynē could be gained through dia the law nomos, then ara Christ Christos died apothnēskō for nothing dōrean!

The Council at Jerusalem

Then after a period of fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem, [this time] with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. I went up [to Jerusalem] because of a [divine] revelation, and I put before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so in private before those of [a]reputation, for fear that I might be running or had run [the course of my ministry] in vain. But [all went well, for] not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled [as some had anticipated] to be circumcised, despite the fact that he was a Greek. My concern was because of the [b]false brothers [those people masquerading as Christians] who had been secretly smuggled in [to the community of believers]. They had slipped in to spy on the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us back into bondage [under the Law of Moses]. But we did not yield to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would continue to remain with you [in its purity]. But from those who were of high reputation (whatever they were—in terms of individual importance—makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality—He is not impressed with the positions that people hold nor does He recognize distinctions such as fame or power)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me [that is, they had nothing to add to my gospel message nor did they impose any new requirements on me].(A) But on the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised (Gentiles), just as Peter had been [entrusted to proclaim the gospel] to the circumcised (Jews); (for He who worked effectively for Peter and empowered him in his ministry to the Jews also worked effectively for me and empowered me in my ministry to the Gentiles). And recognizing the grace [that God had] bestowed on me, James and Cephas (Peter) and John, who were reputed to be pillars [of the Jerusalem church], gave to me and Barnabas the [c]right hand of fellowship, so that we could go to the Gentiles [with their blessing] and they to the circumcised (Jews). 10 They asked only [one thing], that we remember the poor, the very thing I was also eager to do.

Peter (Cephas) Opposed by Paul

11 Now when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him face to face [about his conduct there], because he stood condemned [by his own actions]. 12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat [his meals] with the Gentiles; but when the men [from Jerusalem] arrived, he began to withdraw and separate himself [from the Gentile believers], because he was afraid of those from the [d]circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in this hypocrisy [ignoring their knowledge that Jewish and Gentile Christians were united, under the new covenant, into one faith], with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not being straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas (Peter) in front of everyone, “If you, being a Jew, live [as you have been living] like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how is it that you are [now virtually] forcing the Gentiles to live like Jews [if they want to eat with you]?”

15 [I went on to say] “We are Jews by birth and not sinners from among the Gentiles; 16 yet we know that a man is not [e]justified [and placed in right standing with God] by works of the Law, but [only] through faith in [God’s beloved Son,] Christ Jesus. And even we [as Jews] have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law. By observing the Law no one will ever be justified [declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty].(B) 17 But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ [by faith], we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ an advocate or promoter of our sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I [or anyone else should] rebuild [through word or by practice] what I once tore down [the belief that observing the Law is essential for salvation], I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the Law I died to the Law and its demands on me [because salvation is provided through the death and resurrection of Christ], so that I might [from now on] live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 I do not ignore or nullify the [gracious gift of the] grace of God [His amazing, unmerited favor], for if righteousness comes through [observing] the Law, then Christ died needlessly. [His suffering and death would have had no purpose whatsoever.]”

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 2:2 This group would have included the apostles Peter and John, as well as James, Jesus’ half brother who was also the leader of the Jerusalem church.
  2. Galatians 2:4 I.e. the Judaizers (see note 1:7).
  3. Galatians 2:9 A solemn act of partnership signifying acceptance, agreement and trust.
  4. Galatians 2:12 I.e. self-righteous Jewish converts who twisted the gospel to suit their legalistic beliefs, observed Mosaic Law, and would not eat with Gentile believers.
  5. Galatians 2:16 Being justified is a legal or judicial declaration of righteousness. Justification has two parts: (1) Being declared free of blame, acquitted of sin—not guilty. Believers are justified because Jesus Christ personally assumed the guilt for our sin on the cross; (2) God declares the person righteous, that is, placed in a position of right-standing with Him. A person may not be made righteous by his personal behavior, no matter how good, or by the declaration of any other human being.