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Paul Accepted by the Apostles

¹ Then after fourteen years I ^(C1)went up again to Jerusalem with ^(C2)Barnabas, taking ^(C3)Titus along also.² And I went up ^(F1)because of a ^(C1)revelation, and I laid out to them the ^(C2)gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, lest somehow I might be ^(C3)running, or had run, in vain.³ But not even ^(C1)Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was ^(C2)compelled to be circumcised.⁴ But this was because of the ^(C1)false brothers secretly brought in, who ^(C2)had sneaked in to spy out our ^(C3)freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to ^(C4)enslave us.⁵ But we did not yield in subjection to them for even ^(F1)a moment, so that ^(C1)the truth of the gospel would remain with you.⁶ But from those who ^(F1)were of high ^(C1)reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; ^(C2)God ^(F2)shows no partiality)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.⁷ But on the contrary, seeing that I had been ^(C1)entrusted with the ^(C2)gospel ^(F1)to the uncircumcised, just as ^(C3)Peter had been ^(F2)to the circumcised⁸ (for He who worked in Peter unto his ^(C1)apostleship ^(F1)to the circumcised worked in me also unto the Gentiles),⁹ and recognizing ^(C1)the grace that had been given to me, ^(C2)James and ^(C3)Cephas and ^(F1)John, who were ^(C4)reputed to be ^(C5)pillars, gave to me and ^(C6)Barnabas the ^(C7)right ^(F2)hand of fellowship, so that we might ^(C8)go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.¹⁰ Only they asked us to remember the poor—^(C1)the very thing I also was eager to do.

Paul Opposes Peter (Cephas)

¹¹ But when ^(C1)Cephas came to ^(C2)Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he ^(F1)stood condemned.¹² For prior to the coming of certain men from ^(C1)James, he used to ^(C2)eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he began to shrink back and separate himself, ^(C3)fearing ^(F1)the party of the circumcision.¹³ And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even ^(C1)Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.¹⁴ But when I saw that they ^(C1)were not ^(F1)straightforward about ^(C2)the truth of the gospel, I said to ^(C3)Cephas before everyone, "If you, being a Jew, ^(C4)live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?^(F2)

¹⁵ "We are ^(C1)Jews by nature and not ^(C2)sinners from among the Gentiles;¹⁶ nevertheless ^(F1)knowing that ^(C1)a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by ^(C2)faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since ^(C3)by the works of ^(F2)the Law no ^(F3)flesh will be justified.¹⁷ "But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found ^(C1)sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? ^(C2)May it never be!¹⁸ "For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I ^(C1)prove myself to be a transgressor.¹⁹ "For through ^(F1)the Law I ^(C1)died to ^(F1)the Law, so that I might live to God.²⁰ "I have been ^(C1)crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but ^(C2)Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in ^(C3)the Son of God, who ^(C4)loved me and ^(C5)gave Himself up for me.²¹ "I do not set aside the grace of God, for ^(C1)if righteousness comes through ^(F1)the Law, then Christ died needlessly."