¹⁸ Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days,^{(A) 19} but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord’s brother.^{(B) 20} In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia,^{(C) 22} and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ;^{(D) 23} they only heard it said, “The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they glorified God because of me.

Paul and the Other Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.^{(E) 2} I went up in response to a revelation. Then I laid before them (though only in a private meeting with the acknowledged leaders) the gospel that I proclaim among the gentiles, in order to make sure that I was not running, or had not run, in vain.^{(F) 3} But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.^{(G) 4} But because of false brothers and sisters secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might enslave us^(H)— ⁵ we did not submit to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you.^{(I) 6} And from those who were supposed to be acknowledged leaders (what they actually were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those leaders contributed nothing to me.^{(J) 7} On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised^{(K) 8} (for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the gentiles), ⁹ and when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the gentiles and they to the circumcised.^{(L) 10} They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was^[a] eager to do.^(M)

The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth

6 He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. ² On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!^{(A) 3} Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary^[a] and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense^[b] at him.^{(B) 4} Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown and among their own kin and in their own house.”^{(C) 5} And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.^{(D) 6} And he was amazed at their unbelief.

The Mission of the Twelve

Then he went about among the villages teaching.^{(E) 7} He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.^{(F) 8} He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff: no bread, no bag, no money in their belts, ⁹ but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. ¹⁰ He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. ¹¹ If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” ¹² So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.^{(G) 13} They cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.^(H)