Paul’s story continues
- 1 Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem again with Barnabas, having taken Titus with me also.
- 2 And I went up because of a revelation and related to them the good news that I preach among the gentiles (but did so privately to the esteemed men) lest in some way I run — or ran — in vain.
- 3 But not even Titus who was with me – though being a Greek – was compelled to be circumcised,
- 4 also because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who infiltrated us to spy on our liberty which we have in Jesus the Anointed so that they will enslave us,
- 5 to whom we didn’t yield in obedience even for an hour so that the truth of the good news might remain for you.
- 6 And from the men esteemed to be something (what sort of men they were before makes no difference to me; God shows no partialityfnquotation/allusion to Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Job 34:19 (which are also quoted/alluded to by Acts 10:34 and Romans 2:11). “God shows no partiality” is more literally “God doesn’t accept the face of man”. To “accept the face” is a Hebrew idiom meaning to show partiality or favoritism to someone.) for the esteemed men added nothing to my message.
- 7 But on the contrary, having seen that I have been entrusted to spread the good news to the uncircumcised (just as Peter is to the circumcised,
- 8 for the One who worked in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised also worked in me toward the gentiles)
- 9 and having known the grace which was given to me, James and Cephasfn“Cephas” is Aramaic for “a rock”, and is another name for the disciple/apostle Peter. and John – the men esteemed to be pillars – gave Barnabas and me the right handfn“hand” is literally “hands” of partnership so that we might go to the gentiles, but they might go to the circumcised.
- 10 They only asked that we remember the poor, and this is the same thing that I was eager to do.
Paul Confronts Peter
(Parallel teachings: Romans 3:21-28; Philippians 3:4-11; Ephesians 2:1-10)
- 11 But when Cephasfn“Cephas” is Aramaic for “a rock”, and is another name for the disciple/apostle Peter. Many later manuscripts read “Peter” here. came to Antioch, I firmly opposed him to his face because he was standing *condemned.
- 12 For he was eating with the gentiles before some men came from James. But when they came, he was withdrawing and was separating himself, fearing the circumcised men.
- 13 And the rest of the Jews also acted hypocritically with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
- 14 But when I saw that they aren’t walking uprightly toward the truth of the good news, I told Cephasfn“Cephas” see note on verse 11. in front of all: “If you (being a Jew) live like a gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the gentiles to live like Jews?”
- 15 We’re Jews by birth and aren’t sinners from among the gentiles.
- 16 But *knowing that a man isn’t made righteous by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus the Anointed, we also believed in Jesus the Anointed so that we might be made righteous by faith in the Anointed and not by works of the law, because no flesh will be made righteous by works of the law.fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 143:2 (which is also quoted/alluded to by Romans 3:20)
- 17 But if we’re seeking to be made righteous in the Anointed and we ourselves were found sinners, then is the Anointed a servant of sin? May it never be!
- 18 For if I build again those things which I tore down, I establish myself as a deliberate sinner.
- 19 For through the law, I died to the law so that I might live to God.
- 20 I have been crucified with the Anointed, and I no longer live, but the Anointed lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, the One who ^loved me and gave Himself for my sake.
- 21 I don’t set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law then the Anointed died for nothing.