Galatians 2

1Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, also taking Titus along.

2But I went up in response to a revelation, and I laid before them the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles—but privately before those of repute—lest somehow I should be running, or had run, in vain.

3But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

4But because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Messiah Jesus, so that they might enslave us—

5To them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain for you.

6But from those who were reputed to be something—whatever they once were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality—to me, indeed, those of reputation added nothing.

7But on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been for the circumcised,

8For the one who worked through Peter for apostleship to the circumcised also worked through me for the Gentiles,

9and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were regarded as pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hands of fellowship, so that we would go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

10only that we should remember the poor, which was exactly what I was eager to do.

11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

12For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separate himself, fearing those of the circumcision.

13And the rest of the Jews also joined him in hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.

14But when I saw that they were not walking in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how do you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15We are Jews by birth and not sinners from among the Gentiles,

16Yet knowing that a person is not justified by works of the law except through faith in Jesus the Messiah, even we have believed in Messiah Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Messiah and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no flesh will be justified.

17But if, while seeking to be justified in Messiah, we ourselves also were found to be sinners, is Messiah then a servant of sin? May it never be!

18For if I rebuild the things I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.

19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Messiah.

20And it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

21I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Messiah died for nothing.