1 Fourteen years later I went to Jerusalem with Barnabas. I also took along Titus. 2 But I went there because God had told me to go, and I explained the good news I had been preaching to the Gentiles. Then I met privately with the ones who seemed to be the most important leaders. I wanted to make sure my work in the past and my future work would not be for nothing.
3 Titus went to Jerusalem with me. He was a Greek, but still he wasn't forced to be circumcised. 4 We went there because of those who pretended to be followers and had sneaked in among us as spies. They had come to take away the freedom Christ Jesus had given us, and they were trying to make us their slaves. 5 But we wanted you to have the true message. This is why we didn't give in to them, not even for a second.
6 Some of them were supposed to be important leaders, but I didn't care who they were. God doesn't have any favorites! None of these so-called special leaders added anything to my message. 7 They realized God had sent me with the good news for Gentiles, and he had sent Peter with the same message for Jews. 8 God, who had sent Peter on a mission to the Jews, was now using me to preach to the Gentiles.
9 James, Peter, and John realized that God had given me the message about his gift of undeserved grace. And these men are supposed to be the backbone of the church. They even gave Barnabas and me a friendly handshake. This was to show that we would work with Gentiles and that they would work with Jews. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor, and this was something I had always been eager to do.
Paul Corrects Peter at Antioch
11 When Peter came to Antioch, I told him face to face that he was wrong. 12 He used to eat with Gentile followers of the Lord, until James sent some Jewish followers. Peter was afraid of the Jews and soon stopped eating with Gentiles. 13 He and the others hid their true feelings so well that even Barnabas was fooled. 14 But when I saw they were not really obeying the truth that is in the good news, I corrected Peter in front of everyone and said:
Peter, you are a Jew, but you live like a Gentile. So how can you force Gentiles to live like Jews?
15 We are Jews by birth and are not sinners like Gentiles. 16 But we know that God accepts only those who have faith in Jesus Christ. No one can please God by simply obeying the Law. So we put our faith in Christ Jesus, and God accepted us because of our faith.
17 When we Jews started looking for a way to please God, we discovered that we are sinners too. Does this mean that Christ is the one who makes us sinners? No, it doesn't! 18 But if I tear down something and then build it again, I prove that I was wrong at first. 19 It was the Law itself that killed me and freed me from its power, so I could live for God.
I have been nailed to the cross with Christ. 20 I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. 21 I don't turn my back on God's gift of undeserved grace. If we can be acceptable to God by obeying the Law, it was useless for Christ to die.
1 Then fourteene yeeres after, I went vp againe to Hierusalem with Barnabas, and tooke with me Titus also. 2 And I went vp by reuelation, and declared vnto them that Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but particularly to them that were the chiefe, least by any meanes I should runne, or had runne in vaine: 3 But neither yet Titus which was with me, though he were a Grecian, was compelled to be circumcised, 4 To wit, for the false brethren which were craftily sent in, and crept in priuily to spie out our libertie, which we haue in Christ Iesus, that they might bring vs into bondage. 5 To whom we gaue not place by subiection for an houre, that the trueth of the Gospel might continue with you. 6 But by them which seemed to be great, I was not taught (whatsoeuer they were in time passed, I am nothing the better: God accepteth no mans person) for they that are the chiefe, did adde nothing to me aboue that I had. 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that ye Gospel ouer ye vncircumcision was comitted vnto me, as the Gospel ouer ye circumcision was vnto Peter: 8 (For he that was mightie by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision, was also mightie by me toward the Gentiles) 9 And when Iames, and Cephas, and Iohn, knew of the grace that was giuen vnto me, which are counted to be pillars, they gaue to me and to Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should preach vnto the Gentiles, and they vnto the Circumcision, 10 Warning onely that we should remember the poore: which thing also I was diligent to doe. 11 And when Peter was come to Antiochia, I withstood him to his face: for he was to be condemned. 12 For before that certaine came from Iames, he ate with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himselfe, fearing them which were of the Circumcision. 13 And the other Iewes played the hypocrites likewise with him, in so much that Barnabas was led away with them by that their hypocrisie. 14 But when I saw, that they went not ye right way to the trueth of ye Gospel, I sayd vnto Peter before all men, If thou being a Iewe, liuest as the Gentiles, and not like the Iewes, why constrainest thou the Gentiles to doe like the Iewes? 15 We which are Iewes by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowe that a man is not iustified by the works of the Law, but by ye faith of Iesus Christ, euen we, I say, haue beleeued in Iesus Christ, that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ, and not by the workes of the Lawe, because that by the workes of the Lawe, no flesh shalbe iustified. 17 If then while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ, we our selues are found sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sinne? God forbid. 18 For if I build againe the things that I haue destroyed, I make my selfe a trespasser. 19 For I through the Lawe am dead to the Lawe, that I might liue vnto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ, but I liue, yet not I any more, but Christ liueth in me: and in that that I now liue in the flesh, I liue by the faith in the Sonne of God, who hath loued me, and giuen him selfe for me. 21 I doe not abrogate the grace of God: for if righteousnes be by the Lawe, then Christ dyed without a cause.