Defending the Gospel
1 Then after fourteen years Acts 15:2I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but Acts 15:1–4privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means (Rom. 9:16; 1 Cor. 9:24); Gal. 5:7; Phil. 2:16; 1 Thess. 3:5; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 12:1I might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And thisoccurred because of Acts 15:1, 24; 2 Cor. 11:13, 26; Gal. 1:7false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our Gal. 3:25; 5:1, 13; (James 1:25)liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, Gal. 4:3, 9that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that (Gal. 1:6; 2:14; 3:1); Col. 1:5the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
6 But from those Gal. 2:9; 6:3who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed tobesomething2 Cor. 11:5; 12:11added nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, Acts 9:15; 13:46; 22:21; Rom. 11:13when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised 1 Cor. 9:17; 1 Thess. 2:4; 1 Tim. 1:11had been committed to me, as thegospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the 1 Pet. 1:1circumcised Acts 9:15also (Gal. 3:5)worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be Matt. 16:18pillars, perceived Rom. 1:5the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, Acts 13:3that we shouldgo to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Theydesired only that we should remember the poor, Acts 11:30the very thing which I also was eager to do.
No Return to the Law
11 Acts 15:35Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, (Acts 10:28; 11:2, 3)he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about Gal. 1:6; 2:5; Col. 1:5the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter 1 Tim. 5:20before them all, (Acts 10:28); Gal. 2:12"If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 (Acts 15:10)We whoare Jews by nature, and not Matt. 9:11sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Acts 13:38, 39; Gal. 3:11knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but Rom. 1:17by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not Ps. 143:2; Rom. 3:20by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
17 "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found (1 John 3:8)sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I Rom. 8:2through the law (Rom. 6:2, 14; 7:4); 1 Cor. 9:20died to the law that I might (Rom. 6:11)live to God. 20 I have been (Rom. 6:6; Gal. 5:24; 6:14)crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh Rom. 6:8–11; 2 Cor. 5:15; (Eph. 2:4–6; Col. 3:1–4)I live by faith in the Son of God, Is. 53:12; Eph. 5:2who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for Heb. 7:11if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."