Paul Defends His Gospel at Jerusalem

Then after fourteen years I went up again(A) to Jerusalem with Barnabas,(B) taking Titus(C) along also. I went up according to a revelation(D) and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those recognized as leaders. I wanted to be sure I was not running, and had not been running, in vain. But not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false brothers(E) had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us. But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth(F) of the gospel would be preserved for you.

Now from those recognized as important (what they[a] once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism[b](G))—they added nothing to me. On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised,(H) just as Peter(I) was for the circumcised, since the one at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles. When James,(J) Cephas,[c](K) and John(L)—those recognized as pillars(M)—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They asked only that we would remember the poor,(N) which I had made every effort to do.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:6 Lit the recognized ones
  2. 2:6 Or God is not a respecter of persons; lit God does not receive the face of man
  3. 2:9 Other mss read Peter

Paul’s Ministry Recognized by the Jerusalem Apostles

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking along Titus also. Now I went up there because of a revelation and laid out to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles, but in private to the influential people, lest somehow I was running, or had run, in vain. But not even Titus who was with me, although[a] he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. Now this was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order that they might enslave us, to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, in order that the truth of the gospel might remain continually with you. But from those who were influential[b] (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me, God does not show partiality[c])—for those who were influential added nothing to me. But these, when they[d] saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcision, just as Peter to the circumcision (for the one who was at work through Peter for his apostleship to the circumcision was at work also through me for the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John—those thought to be pillars—acknowledged the grace given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, in order that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision. 10 They asked only that we should remember the poor, the very thing I was also eager to do.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 2:3 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as concessive
  2. Galatians 2:6 Literally “who were thought to be something”
  3. Galatians 2:6 Literally “God does not receive the face of man”
  4. Galatians 2:7 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal