The Rewards of Wisdom

The Council at Jerusalem

2 Then after an interval of fourteen years I ^(A)went up again to Jerusalem with ^(B)Barnabas, taking ^(C)Titus along also. ^2 [a]It was because of a ^(D)revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the ^(E)gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that somehow I might be ^(F)running, or had run, in vain. ³ But not even ^(G)Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was ^(H)compelled to be circumcised. ⁴ Yet it was a concern because of the ^(I)false brothers secretly brought in, who ^(J)had sneaked in to spy on our ^(K)freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to ^(L)enslave us. ⁵ But we did not yield in subjection to them, even for an hour, so that ^(M)the truth of the gospel would remain with you. ⁶ But from those who ^[b]were of considerable ^(N)repute (what they were makes no difference to me; ^(O)God shows no favoritism)—well, those who were of repute contributed nothing to me. ⁷ But on the contrary, seeing that I had been ^(P)entrusted with the ^(Q)gospel ^[c]to the uncircumcised, just as ^(R)Peter had been ^[d]to the circumcised ⁸ (for He who was at work for Peter in his ^(S)apostleship ^[e]to the circumcised was at work for me also to the Gentiles), ⁹ and recognizing ^(T)the grace that had been given to me, ^[f](U)James and ^[g](V)Cephas and John, who were ^(W)reputed to be ^(X)pillars, gave to me and ^(Y)Barnabas the ^(Z)right ^[h]hand of fellowship, so that we might ^(AA)go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ They only asked us to remember the poor—^(AB)the very thing I also was eager to do.

Peter (Cephas) Opposed by Paul

¹¹ But when ^(AC)Cephas came to ^(AD)Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he ^[i]stood condemned. ¹² For prior to the coming of some men from ^[j](AE)James, he used to ^(AF)eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, ^(AG)fearing those from the circumcision. ¹³ The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even ^(AH)Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they ^(AI)were not ^[k]straightforward about ^(AJ)the truth of the gospel, I said to ^(AK)Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, ^(AL)live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?^[l]

¹⁵ “We are ^(AM)Jews by nature and not ^(AN)sinners from the Gentiles; ¹⁶ nevertheless, knowing that ^(AO)a person is not justified by works of ^[m]the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by ^(AP)faith in Christ and not by works of ^[n]the Law; since ^(AQ)by works of ^[o]the Law no ^[p]flesh will be justified. ¹⁷ But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found ^(AR)sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? ^[q](AS)Far from it! ¹⁸ For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I ^(AT)prove myself to be a wrongdoer. ¹⁹ For through ^[r]the Law I ^(AU)died to ^[s]the Law, so that I might live for God. ²⁰ I have been ^(AV)crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but ^(AW)Christ lives in me; and ^[t]the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in ^(AX)the Son of God, who ^(AY)loved me and ^(AZ)gave Himself up for me. ²¹ I do not nullify the grace of God, for ^(BA)if righteousness comes through ^[u]the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”