1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem 1 to visit Cephas 2 and get information from him, 3 and I stayed with him fifteen days. 1:19 But I saw none of the other apostles 4 except James the Lord’s brother. 1:20 I assure you 5 that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you! 6 1:21 Afterward I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 1:22 But I was personally 7 unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 1:23 They were only hearing, “The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news 8 of the faith he once tried to destroy.” 1:24 So 9 they glorified God because of me. 10
2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem 11 again with Barnabas, taking Titus along too. 2:2 I went there 12 because of 13 a revelation and presented 14 to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so 15 only in a private meeting with the influential people, 16 to make sure that I was not running – or had not run 17 – in vain. 2:3 Yet 18 not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek. 2:4 Now this matter arose 19 because of the false brothers with false pretenses 20 who slipped in unnoticed to spy on 21 our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, to make us slaves. 22 2:5 But 23 we did not surrender to them 24 even for a moment, 25 in order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. 26
2:6 But from those who were influential 27 (whatever they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people 28 ) – those influential leaders 29 added 30 nothing to my message. 31 2:7 On the contrary, when they saw 32 that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised 33 just as Peter was to the circumcised 34 2:8 (for he who empowered 35 Peter for his apostleship 36 to the circumcised 37 also empowered me for my apostleship to the Gentiles) 38 2:9 and when James, Cephas, 39 and John, who had a reputation as 40 pillars, 41 recognized 42 the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me 43 the right hand of fellowship, agreeing 44 that we would go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 45 2:10 They requested 46 only that we remember the poor, the very thing I also was eager to do.