Galatians 2:1-21.
Galatians 2:1-21 (Good News Translation)
1 "Fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking
Titus along with me. 2 I went because God revealed to me that I should
go. In a private meeting with the leaders I explained the gospel
message that I preach to the Gentiles. I did not want my work in the
past or in the present to be a failure. 3 My companion Titus, even
though he is Greek, was not forced to be circumcised, 4 although some
wanted it done. Pretending to be believers, these men slipped into our
group as spies, in order to find out about the freedom we have through
our union with Christ Jesus. They wanted to make slaves of us, 5 but
in order to keep the truth of the gospel safe for you, we did not give
in to them for a minute. 6 But those who seemed to be the leaders—I
say this because it makes no difference to me what they were; God does
not judge by outward appearances—those leaders, I say, made no new
suggestions to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that God had given me
the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given
Peter the task of preaching the gospel to the Jews. 8 For by God's
power I was made an apostle to the Gentiles, just as Peter was made an
apostle to the Jews. 9 James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be the
leaders, recognized that God had given me this special task; so they
shook hands with Barnabas and me, as a sign that we were all partners.
We agreed that Barnabas and I would work among the Gentiles and they
among the Jews. 10 All they asked was that we should remember the
needy in their group, which is the very thing I have been eager to do.
11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him in public, because he
was clearly wrong. 12 Before some men who had been sent by James
arrived there, Peter had been eating with the Gentile believers. But
after these men arrived, he drew back and would not eat with the
Gentiles, because he was afraid of those who were in favor of
circumcising them. 13 The other Jewish believers also started acting
like cowards along with Peter; and even Barnabas was swept along by
their cowardly action. 14 When I saw that they were not walking a
straight path in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in
front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you have been living like a
Gentile, not like a Jew. How, then, can you try to force Gentiles to
live like Jews?" 15 Indeed, we are Jews by birth and not "Gentile
sinners," as they are called. 16 Yet we know that a person is put
right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ, never by doing what
the Law requires. We, too, have believed in Christ Jesus in order to
be put right with God through our faith in Christ, and not by doing
what the Law requires. For no one is put right with God by doing what
the Law requires. 17 If, then, as we try to be put right with God by
our union with Christ, we are found to be sinners, as much as the
Gentiles are—does this mean that Christ is serving the cause of sin?
By no means! 18 If I start to rebuild the system of Law that I tore
down, then I show myself to be someone who breaks the Law. 19 So far
as the Law is concerned, however, I am dead—killed by the Law
itself—in order that I might live for God. I have been put to death
with Christ on his cross, 20 so that it is no longer I who live, but
it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. 21 I
refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with
God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing!"
Father God, forgive my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ down
to die on the cross and for shedding his blood for me. Three days
later you resurrected him. I accept that. I invite Jesus Christ into
my heart as my Lord and savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
God bless you.
1 "Fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking
Titus along with me. 2 I went because God revealed to me that I should
go. In a private meeting with the leaders I explained the gospel
message that I preach to the Gentiles. I did not want my work in the
past or in the present to be a failure. 3 My companion Titus, even
though he is Greek, was not forced to be circumcised, 4 although some
wanted it done. Pretending to be believers, these men slipped into our
group as spies, in order to find out about the freedom we have through
our union with Christ Jesus. They wanted to make slaves of us, 5 but
in order to keep the truth of the gospel safe for you, we did not give
in to them for a minute. 6 But those who seemed to be the leaders—I
say this because it makes no difference to me what they were; God does
not judge by outward appearances—those leaders, I say, made no new
suggestions to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that God had given me
the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given
Peter the task of preaching the gospel to the Jews. 8 For by God's
power I was made an apostle to the Gentiles, just as Peter was made an
apostle to the Jews. 9 James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be the
leaders, recognized that God had given me this special task; so they
shook hands with Barnabas and me, as a sign that we were all partners.
We agreed that Barnabas and I would work among the Gentiles and they
among the Jews. 10 All they asked was that we should remember the
needy in their group, which is the very thing I have been eager to do.
11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him in public, because he
was clearly wrong. 12 Before some men who had been sent by James
arrived there, Peter had been eating with the Gentile believers. But
after these men arrived, he drew back and would not eat with the
Gentiles, because he was afraid of those who were in favor of
circumcising them. 13 The other Jewish believers also started acting
like cowards along with Peter; and even Barnabas was swept along by
their cowardly action. 14 When I saw that they were not walking a
straight path in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in
front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you have been living like a
Gentile, not like a Jew. How, then, can you try to force Gentiles to
live like Jews?" 15 Indeed, we are Jews by birth and not "Gentile
sinners," as they are called. 16 Yet we know that a person is put
right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ, never by doing what
the Law requires. We, too, have believed in Christ Jesus in order to
be put right with God through our faith in Christ, and not by doing
what the Law requires. For no one is put right with God by doing what
the Law requires. 17 If, then, as we try to be put right with God by
our union with Christ, we are found to be sinners, as much as the
Gentiles are—does this mean that Christ is serving the cause of sin?
By no means! 18 If I start to rebuild the system of Law that I tore
down, then I show myself to be someone who breaks the Law. 19 So far
as the Law is concerned, however, I am dead—killed by the Law
itself—in order that I might live for God. I have been put to death
with Christ on his cross, 20 so that it is no longer I who live, but
it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. 21 I
refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with
God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing!"
Father God, forgive my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ down
to die on the cross and for shedding his blood for me. Three days
later you resurrected him. I accept that. I invite Jesus Christ into
my heart as my Lord and savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
God bless you.
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