Galatians 2

Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

1Fourteen years later I went back to the city of Jerusalem. My friend Barnabas came with me. I took Titus too.

2And 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.

2I went because God showed me to go. I told them the good news I preach to Gentiles, people who are not Jewish. I talked privately with the leaders there. I did not want my work to be wasted.

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

3Titus was with me, and he was Greek, not Jewish. Still, no one made him get circumcised.

NoteTo be circumcised was to have a small cut made on a boy's body. It was the sign that a man belonged to the Jewish people.

4And 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:

4This came up because some false brothers had sneaked in. They pretended to be friends. They came to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to tie us up with rules again.

5To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

5We did not give in to them, not even for a moment. We wanted the true good news to stay with you.

6But 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:

6Some men there were treated as very important. What they were makes no difference to me. God does not treat one person as better than another. Those leaders added nothing to my message.

7But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

7Instead they saw something clearly. God had given me the job of telling the good news to people who are not Jewish. Peter had the job of telling it to Jewish people.

8(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

8God worked in Peter and sent him out to the Jewish people. The same God worked powerfully in me and sent me to the Gentiles.

9And 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.

9James, Cephas, and John were seen as pillars, the leaders who held the group up. They saw the kind gift God had given me. They shook hands with me and Barnabas as partners. We would go to people who are not Jewish. They would go to Jewish people.

NoteCephas is another name for Peter. He is the same man Paul talks about in the verses right after this.

10Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

10They asked us for only one thing. They wanted us to remember poor people. I was already glad to do that.

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

11But then Peter came to the city of Antioch. I told him to his face that he was wrong. He deserved the blame.

12For 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.

12Before some men came from James, Peter ate meals with the Gentiles. When those men came, Peter pulled back. He stopped eating with the Gentiles. He was afraid of the men who said everyone must be circumcised.

13And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

13The other Jewish believers acted in the same fake way. Even Barnabas was pulled along with them.

14But 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?

14I saw they were not walking straight with the truth of the good news. So I spoke to Peter in front of everyone. I said, "You are a Jew, but you live like a Gentile. So why do you push Gentiles to live like Jews?"

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

15We were born Jewish. We are not the kind of people others call "Gentile sinners."

16Knowing 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.

16But we know how God makes a person right with himself. It does not happen by obeying the law. It happens by trusting Jesus Christ. So we trusted Christ Jesus, to be made right with God. It was not by obeying the law. No one at all is made right with God by obeying the law.

Note"The law" here means the rules God gave the Jewish people long ago through Moses.

17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

17We look to Christ to make us right with God. What if we are still found to be sinners? Does that make Christ a helper of sin? No, not at all.

18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

18I tore down the old way of rules. If I build it up again, I show that I am a rule breaker.

19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

19The law itself brought me to death, so the law no longer rules my life. Now I live for God.

20I 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.

20I was put on the cross with Christ. I no longer live my old way. Christ lives in me. The life I live now in my body, I live by trusting the Son of God. He loved me. He gave himself for me.

21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

21I do not push God's kindness aside. If people could be made right with God by obeying the law, then Christ died for nothing.