Paul's Gospel Confirmed in Jerusalem
Paul takes his gospel to Jerusalem and the pillars add nothing to it. Later he confronts Peter to his face for pulling back from Gentile tables out of fear. No one is put right by law-keeping; Paul lives now by faith in the Son of our Father.
2 1Fourteen years later I went up to Jerusalem again with Barnabas, taking Titus too. 2I went up by revelation and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles—privately, to those held in esteem—so I wouldn't be running, or have run, in vain. 3But not even Titus, with me, though Greek, was forced to be circumcised. 4This was because of false brothers, secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, aiming to enslave us. 5We did not yield to them for even a moment, so the gospel's truth would remain with you. 6As for those held in esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; our Father shows no partiality—those held in esteem added nothing to me. 7Instead, they saw I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, as Peter had to the circumcised. 8For the one who worked in Peter for apostleship to the circumcised worked also in me for the Gentiles. 9Recognizing the grace given me, James, Peter, and John—reputed pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship: we would go to the Gentiles, they to the circumcised. 10They asked only that we remember the poor—the very thing I was eager to do.
Paul Confronts Cephas at Antioch
11But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12Before certain men came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision. a a v12 "Those of the circumcision" — Jewish Christians who insisted that Gentile believers must be circumcised to be fully accepted. 13The other Jews joined him in this pretense, so even Barnabas was carried away by their pretense. 14But when I saw they weren't walking rightly by the truth of the gospel, I told Peter in front of everyone, "If you, a Jew, live like a Gentile, not like a Jew, how can you force Gentiles to live like Jews?"
15We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, 16yet we know a person is not made right with God by law's works, but through faith in Jesus Christ. We too trusted in Christ Jesus, to be made right by faith in Christ, not law's works—for law's works make no human right. 17But if, seeking to be made right in Christ, we ourselves are found sinners too, is Christ then a servant of sin? Absolutely not! 18For if I rebuild what 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 our Father. 20I've been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I live now in the body, I live by faith in the Son of our Father, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not reject the grace of our Father; if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
