| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. | 1Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also. |
| 2I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. | 2I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain. |
| 3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. | 3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. |
| 4This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. | 4This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. |
| 5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. | 5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. |
| 6As for those who were held in high esteem--whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism--they added nothing to my message. | 6But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me. |
| 7On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. | 7On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. |
| 8For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. | 8For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles. |
| 9James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. | 9And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. |
| 10All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. | 10They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. |
| 11When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. | 11When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned. |
| 12For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. | 12For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group. |
| 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. | 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. |
| 14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? | 14When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” |
| 15"We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles | 15We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners” |
| 16know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. | 16know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. |
| 17"But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn't that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! | 17But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not! |
| 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker. | 18If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker. |
| 19"For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. | 19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God. |
| 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. | 20I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. |
| 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" | 21I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing. |
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