1Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. 2I went up by revelation, and I explained to them the Good News which I proclaim among those who are not Jewish, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage; 5to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you. 6But from those who were reputed to be important (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people)--they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me, 7but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcision 8(for he who appointed Peter to be an apostle of the circumcision appointed me also to the non-Jews); 9and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the non-Jews, and they to the circumcised. 10They only asked us to remember the poor--which very thing I was also zealous to do.

11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12For before some people came from James, he ate with those who were not Jewish. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13And the rest of the Jewish believers joined him in his hypocrisy; so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. 14But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live as the non-Jews do, and not as the Jews do, how can you compel the non-Jews to live as the Jews do?

15"We, being Jews by birth, and not non-Jewish sinners, 16yet knowing that no one is justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law. 17But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not. 18For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a law-breaker. 19For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God. 20I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. 21I do not make void the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing."