2:1Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem again with Barnabas, taking Titus along too. 2:2 I went there¹ because of² a revelation and presented³ to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so⁴ only in a private meeting with the influential people,⁵ to make sure that I was not running or had not run⁶ in vain. 2:3 Yet⁷ not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek. 2:4 Now this matter arose⁸ because of the false brothers with false pretenses⁹ who slipped in unnoticed to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, to make us slaves.¹⁰ 2:5 But¹¹ we did not surrender to them¹² even for a moment,¹³ so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.¹⁴

2:6 But from those who were influential¹⁵ (whatever they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people¹⁶)—those influential leaders¹⁷ added¹⁸ nothing to my message.¹⁹ 2:7 On the contrary, when they saw²⁰ that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised²¹ just as Peter was to the circumcised²² 2:8 (for he who empowered²³ Peter for his apostleship²⁴ to the circumcised²⁵ also empowered me for my apostleship to the Gentiles)²⁶ 2:9 and when James, Cephas,²⁷ and John, who had a reputation as²⁸ pillars,²⁹ recognized³⁰ the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me³¹ the right hand of fellowship, agreeing³² that we would go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.³³ 2:10 They requested³⁴ only that we remember the poor, the very thing I too was eager to do.

2:11 But when Cephas³⁵ came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he had clearly done wrong.³⁶ 2:12 For until certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this³⁷ and separated himself³⁸ because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision party.³⁹ 2:13 And the rest of the Jews also joined with him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray with them⁴⁰ by their hypocrisy. 2:14 But when I saw that they were not behaving consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas⁴¹ in front of them all, “If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to force⁴² the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

2:15 We are Jews by birth⁴³ and not Gentile sinners;⁴⁴ 2:16 yet we know⁴⁵ that no one⁴⁶ is justified by the works of the law⁴⁷ but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.⁴⁸ And⁴⁹ we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ⁵⁰ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one⁵¹ will be justified. 2:17 But if while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages⁵² sin? Absolutely not! 2:18 But if I build up again those things I once destroyed,⁵³ I demonstrate that I am one who breaks God’s law.⁵⁴ 2:19 For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ;⁵⁵ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So⁵⁶ the life I now live in the body,⁵⁷ I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God,⁵⁸ who loved me and gave himself for me. 2:21 I do not set aside⁵⁹ God’s grace, because if righteousness⁶⁰ could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!⁶¹