1 And again, after fourteen years, I went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas; and I took with me Titus.
2 And I went up by revelation: and I explained to them the gospel which I announce among the Gentiles; and I stated it to them who were esteemed prominent, between myself and them: lest I should have run, or might run in vain.
3 Also Titus, who was with me, and was a Gentile, was not compelled to be circumcised.
4 And in regard to the false brethren, who had crept in to spy out the liberty we have in Jesus the Messiah, in order to bring me under subjection;
5 not for the space of an hour, did we throw ourselves into subjection to them; so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.
6 And they who were esteemed prominent, (what they were, I care not; for God regardeth not the persons of men,)even these persons added nothing to me.
7 But, otherwise; for they saw, that the gospel of the uncircumcision was intrusted to me, as to Cephas was intrusted that of the circumcision.
8 For he that was operative with Cephas in the legateship of the circumcision, was also operative with me in the legateship of the Gentiles.
9 And James, Cephas, and John, who were accounted pillars, when they perceived the grace that was given to me, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship; that we [should labor] among the Gentiles, and they among the circumcision.
10 Only [they desired] that we would be mindful of the needy; and I was solicitous to do the same.
11 But when Cephas was come to Antioch, I rebuked him to his face; because they were stumbled by him.
12 For before certain ones came from James, he ate with the Gentiles: but when they came, he withdrew himself, and separated; because he was afraid of them of the circumcision.
13 And the rest of the Jews also were with him in this thing; insomuch that even Barnabas was induced to regard persons.
14 And when I saw, that they did not walk correctly, in the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas, before them all: If thou art a Jew, and livest in the Gentile way, and not in the Jewish, why dost thou compel the Gentiles to live in the Jewish way ?
15 For if we, who are Jews by nature, and are not sinners of the Gentiles,
16 because we know that a man is not made just by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus the Messiah; even we have believed in Jesus the Messiah, in order to be made just by faith in the Messiah, and not by the works of the law: for, by the deeds of the law, no flesh is made just.
17 And if, while we seek to become just by the Messiah, we are found to be ourselves sinners, is Jesus the Messiah therefore the minister of sin ? Far be it !
18 For if I should build up again the things I had demolished, I should show myself to be a transgressor of the precept.
19 For I, by the law, have become dead to the law, that I might live to God; and I am crucified with the Messiah.
20 And henceforth it is no more I who live, but the Messiah liveth in me: and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
21 I do not spurn the grace of God. For if righteousness is by means of the law, the Messiah died in vain.
|