Introduction
We are saved by faith, not by keeping laws or by being circumcised like Jews.
Verses
1Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.
2I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach amongst the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.
3But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
4This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage,
5to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you.
6But from those who were reputed to be important—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man—they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me,
7but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised—
8for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles—
9and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.
10They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.
11But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned.
12For before some people came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
13And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
14But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?
15“We, being Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners,
16yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.
17But if while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not!
18For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a law-breaker.
19For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God.
20I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
21I don’t reject the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”
Questions
1. What did they who were respected see that Paul and Peter had been entrusted with?
v 6 and 7 ... they, I say, who were respected ... when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised.
2. What was Paul zealous to do?
v 10 They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.
3. What does Paul say about being justified or made right (with God)?
v 16 ... a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.
Summary Points
- v 1 to 10 Paul lays before the Jerusalem church the Good News he has preached to the Gentiles. He wants to prevent false brothers stopping them from receiving the Good News. They accept that Paul has been sent by God, to give his message to the Gentiles (non-Jews) and Peter to the Jews
- v 11 to 14 Paul shows the apostle, Peter, that he is wrong in siding with fellow Jews, who want non-Jews to keep Jewish laws
- v 15 to 19 We are justified (made right with God) by believing and trusting in Jesus and all he has done, not by what we do
- v 20 and 21 The old Paul has been crucified and Christ can now be seen in Paul's life. He gratefully lives having faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him
Audio