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Galatians 2 (AMP)

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¹ THEN AFTER of fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem. with Barnabas, taking Titus along with also. ² I went because it was specially and divinely revealed to me that I should go, and I put before them the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. However, privately before those of repute, that I was not running or had not run in vain . ³ But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek. ⁴ because of false brethren who had been secretly smuggled in ; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage . ⁵ To them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the Gospel might continue to be for you . ⁶ Moreover, by those who were reputed to be something--though what was their individual position and whether they really were of importance or not makes no difference to me; God is not impressed with the positions that men hold and He is not partial and recognizes no external distinctions--those who were of repute imposed no new requirements upon me . ⁷ But on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted the Gospel to the uncircumcised as Peter had been entrusted the Gospel to the circumcised ; ⁸ For He Who motivated and fitted Peter and worked effectively through him for the mission to the circumcised, motivated and fitted me and worked through me also for the Gentiles. ⁹ And when they knew (perceived, recognized, understood, and acknowledged) the grace (God's unmerited favor and spiritual blessing) that had been bestowed upon me, James and Cephas (Peter) and John, who were reputed to be pillars of the Jerusalem church, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, with the understanding that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised (Jews). ¹⁰ They only , that we were to remember the poor, which very thing I was also eager to do. ¹¹ But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I protested and opposed him to his face , for he was blameable and stood condemned. ¹² For up to the time that certain persons came from James, he ate his meals with the Gentile ; but when the men arrived, he withdrew and held himself aloof from the Gentiles and separately for fear of those of the circumcision . ¹³ And the rest of the Jews along with him also concealed their true convictions and acted insincerely, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy (their example of insincerity and pretense). ¹⁴ But as soon as I saw that they were not straightforward and were not living up to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas (Peter) before everybody present, If you, though born a Jew, can live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how do you dare now to urge and practically force the Gentiles to live like Jews? ¹⁵ Although we ourselves (you and I) are Jews by birth and not Gentile (heathen) sinners, ¹⁶ Yet we know that a man is justified or reckoned righteous and in right standing with God not by works of the Law, but through faith and reliance on and adherence to and trust in Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). even we have believed on Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law , because by keeping legal rituals and by works no human being can ever be justified (declared righteous and put in right standing with God). ¹⁷ But if, in our desire and endeavor to be justified in Christ , we have shown ourselves sinners also and convicted of sin, does that make Christ a minister (a party and contributor) to our sin? Banish the thought! ¹⁸ For if I build up again what I tore down, I prove myself a transgressor. ¹⁹ For I through the Law have myself died to the Law and all the Law's demands upon me, so that I may live to and for God. ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. ²¹ ; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain.