1 THEN fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

1Then fourteene yeeres after, I went vp againe to Ierusalem with Barnabas, and tooke Titus with me also.

2And I went vp by reuelation, and communicated vnto them that Gospel, which I preach among the Gentiles, but priuately to them which were of reputation, lest by any meanes I should runne, or had runne in vaine.

3But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greeke, was compelled to be circumcised:

4And that because of false brethren vnawares brought in, who came in priuily to spie out our libertie, which wee haue in Christ Iesus, that they might bring vs into bondage.

5To whom wee gaue place by subiection, no not for an houre, that the trueth of the Gospel might continue with you.

6But of these, who seemed to bee somewhat, (whatsoeuer they were, it maketh no matter to mee, God accepteth no mans person,) for they who seemed to be somewhat, in conference added nothing to me.

7But contrariwise, when they saw that the Gospel of the vncircumcision was committed vnto me, as the Gospel of the circumcision was vnto Peter:

8(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mightie in me towards the Gentiles.)

9And when Iames, Cephas and Iohn, who seemed to bee pillars, perceiued the grace that was giuen vnto me, they gaue to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that wee should goe vnto the heathen, and they vnto the circumcision.

10Onely they would that wee should remember the poore, the same which I also was forward to doe.

11But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12For before that certaine came from Iames, he did eate with the Gentiles: but when they were come, hee withdrew, and separated himselfe, fearing them which were of the Circumcisiō.

13And the other Iewes dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was caried away with their dissimulation.

14But when I saw that they walked not vprightly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said vnto Peter before them al, If thou, being a Iew, liuest after the maner of Gentiles, and not as doe the Iewes, why compellest thou the Gentiles to liue as do the Iewes?

15We who are Iewes by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

16Knowing that a man is not iustified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Iesus Christ, euen we haue beleeued in Iesus Christ, that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ, and not by the workes of the Law: for by the workes of the Law shall no flesh be iustified.

17But if while we seeke to be iustified by Christ, wee our selues also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sinne? God forbid.

18For if I build againe the things which I destroyed, I make my selfe a transgressour.

19For I through þe Law, am dead to the Law, that I might liue vnto God.

20I am crucified with Christ. Neuertheles, I liue, yet not I, but Christ liueth in me, and the life which I now liue in the flesh, I liue by the faith of the sonne of God, who loued mee, and gaue himselfe for me.

21I doe not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousnes come by the Lawe, then Christ is dead in vaine.

 

1 Then after fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2 I went up in accord with a revelation, and I presented to them the gospel that I preach to the Gentiles - but privately to those of repute - so that I might not be running, or have run, in vain. 3 Moreover, not even Titus, who was with me, although he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised, 4 but because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, that they might enslave us -  5 to them we did not submit even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain intact for you. 6 But from those who were reputed to be important (what they once were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) - those of repute made me add nothing. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter to the circumcised, 8 for the one who worked in Peter for an apostolate to the circumcised worked also in me for the Gentiles, 9 and when they recognized the grace bestowed upon me, James and Kephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas their right hands in partnership, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, we were to be mindful of the poor, which is the very thing I was eager to do. 11 And when Kephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. 12 For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcised. 13 And the rest of the Jews (also) acted hypocritically along with him, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Kephas in front of all, "If you, though a Jew, are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?" 15 We, who are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles, 16 (yet) who know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we 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 ourselves are found to be sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? Of course not! 18 But if I am building up again those things that I tore down, then I show myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; 20 yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.  

v 1. Gal 1:18 compares to Acts 9:26, Paul’s first visit to Jerusalem  after he was saved. The second visit was when he and Barnabas brought the offering for the famine in Jerusalem, Acts 11:27-30. This visit, 14 years after his first, is the one in Acts 15:2.
v 2. Paul went up because God directed him to, possibly as in Acts 15:9, not because he was summoned. He met privately first, because before the whole church, Judaizers would try to discredit him. In this meeting he was not defending his ministry, but made it clear that if they insisted on circumcision and keeping the law, it would render his ministry ineffective. Their status would not change Paul’s position.
v 3-5. Titus was a test case, whether or not he was brought along for that purpose. The Judaizers, professors who still believed that salvation was through keeping the law, spied on Titus to see if he was circumcised, or spied in the meeting to see what would be done concerning him. Paul was not being stubborn, but was insisting on the basic issue of the gospel, salvation was by faith alone. The other leaders agreed. Paul did have Timothy circumcised, but he was a proselyte who had a Jewish mother.
v 6. In verse 2 Paul spoke of those who were of reputation; in v 6, those who seemed to be somewhat, and in v 9, he named three who seemed to be pillars. He was not being derogatory, but was emphasizing for the benefit of Judaizers that he was accepted as an equal and they did not change his message.
v 7-9. The same gospel was used to two different groups of people. Peter had been successful with the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles, so they gave him the right hand of fellowship in endorsement of his work with the Gentiles.
v 10. Paul was happy to have the Gentiles remember the poor, not just to supply a need, but to promote unity between the groups.
v 11,12. Peter had not changed his theology, but succumbed to religious social pressure. Paul rightly rebuked him, because this raised a standard that there were two kinds of believers, when actually they were all one in Christ.
v 13. One by one other Jewish believers defected by Peter’s example till finally even Barnabas became one of the hypocrites.
v 14. After the Lord’s lesson to Peter regarding Cornelius, Peter had lived in the freedom of the Gentiles, but here he violated his own standard. 
v 15,16. The rebuke may have ended with v 14, but more likely Paul is recording the exhortation that continued to the end of the chapter. The Jews  had advantages over the Gentiles, but all were saved by faith. Not only are we justified by faith in Christ, but no one is justified by the works of the law.
v 17,18. Perhaps this is hypothetical that if we don’t have to keep the law it promotes sinful living. (The same argument is made by those who do not believe in eternal security.) Paul denies this as that would make Christ a promoter of sin. If Peter, Paul or any other returns to the law, the law only shows they are sinners.
v 19,20. Paul now contrasts his actions with Peter’s. The law demanded death, and since Christ died for us, through Christ death he also died to the law. Now Christ lived in him, and he could now live the new life through faith in Christ.  Christ by His Spirit is in me and makes me a new creature, Rom. 6:4.
v 21. Paul was not setting aside the grace of God as Peter and others had done. To insist upon sanctification by keeping the law would mean that Christ had died for nothing, and the cross was a useless gesture.