The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

(Acts 15:5–21)

Then fourteene yeeres after, I went vp againe to Hierusalem with Barnabas, and tooke with me Titus also.

And I went vp by reuelation, and declared vnto them that Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but particularly to them that were the chiefe, least by any meanes I should runne, or had runne in vaine:

But neither yet Titus which was with me, though he were a Grecian, was compelled to be circumcised,

To wit, for the false brethren which were craftily sent in, and crept in priuily to spie out our libertie, which we haue in Christ Iesus, that they might bring vs into bondage.

To whom we gaue not place by subiection for an houre, that the trueth of the Gospel might continue with you.

But by them which seemed to be great, I was not taught (whatsoeuer they were in time passed, I am nothing the better: God accepteth no mans person) for they that are the chiefe, did adde nothing to me aboue that I had.

But contrariwise, when they saw that ye Gospel ouer ye vncircumcision was comitted vnto me, as the Gospel ouer ye circumcision was vnto Peter:

(For he that was mightie by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision, was also mightie by me toward the Gentiles)

And when Iames, and Cephas, and Iohn, knew of the grace that was giuen vnto me, which are counted to be pillars, they gaue to me and to Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should preach vnto the Gentiles, and they vnto the Circumcision,

Warning onely that we should remember the poore: which thing also I was diligent to doe.

Paul Confronts Cephas

And when Peter was come to Antiochia, I withstood him to his face: for he was to be condemned.

For before that certaine came from Iames, he ate with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himselfe, fearing them which were of the Circumcision.

And the other Iewes played the hypocrites likewise with him, in so much that Barnabas was led away with them by that their hypocrisie.

But when I saw, that they went not ye right way to the trueth of ye Gospel, I sayd vnto Peter before all men, If thou being a Iewe, liuest as the Gentiles, and not like the Iewes, why constrainest thou the Gentiles to doe like the Iewes?

We which are Iewes by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

Knowe that a man is not iustified by the works of the Law, but by ye faith of Iesus Christ, euen we, I say, haue beleeued in Iesus Christ, that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ, and not by the workes of the Lawe, because that by the workes of the Lawe, no flesh shalbe iustified.

If then while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ, we our selues are found sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sinne? God forbid.

For if I build againe the things that I haue destroyed, I make my selfe a trespasser.

For I through the Lawe am dead to the Lawe, that I might liue vnto God.

I am crucified with Christ, but I liue, yet not I any more, but Christ liueth in me: and in that that I now liue in the flesh, I liue by the faith in the Sonne of God, who hath loued me, and giuen him selfe for me.

I doe not abrogate the grace of God: for if righteousnes be by the Lawe, then Christ dyed without a cause.

(Acts 15:5–21)

Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

This 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,

to 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.

But from those who were reputed to be important—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man—they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me,

but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised—

for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles—

and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.

They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.

Paul Confronts Cephas

But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned.

For before some people came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?

“We, being Jews by nature and not Gentile sinners,

yet knowing that a man is not 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.

But if while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not!

For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a law-breaker.

For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God.

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives 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.

I don’t reject the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”