Paul Accepted by the Apostles

1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those ^lwho seemed influential) the gospel that ^mI proclaim among the Gentiles, ⁿin order to make sure I was not running or had not ^orun in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, ^pwas not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 ^qYet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who ^rslipped in to spy out ^sour freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, ^tso that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that ^uthe truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those ^vwho seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; ^wGod shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential ^xadded nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been ^yentrusted with ^zthe gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, ^vwho seemed to be ^apillars, perceived the ^bgrace that was given to me, they ^cgave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, ^dthe very thing I was eager to do.

Paul Opposes Peter

11 But ^ewhen Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him ^fto his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, ^ghe was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing ^hthe circumcision party.¹ 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their ⁱconduct was not in step with ^jthe truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas ^kbefore them all, “If you, though a Jew, ^llive like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Justified by Faith

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not ^mGentile sinners; 16 yet we know that ⁿa person is not justified² by works of the law ^obut through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, ^pbecause by works of the law no one will be justified.

17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found ^qto be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I ^rdied to the law, so that I might ^slive to God. 20 I have been ^tcrucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives ^uin me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, ^vwho loved me and ^wgave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for ^xif righteousness³ were through the law, ^ythen Christ died for no purpose.

Encouragement to Give Generously

1 We want you to know, brothers,¹ about the grace of God that has been ^hgiven among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and ⁱtheir extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave ^jaccording to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly ^kfor the favor² of taking part in ^lthe relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they ^mgave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, ⁿwe urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you ^othis act of grace. 7 But as ^pyou excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you³—^qsee that you excel in this act of grace also.

8 ^rI say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ^sthough he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter ^tI give my judgment: ^uthis benefits you, who ^va year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable ^waccording to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply ^xtheir need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, ^y“Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

Commendation of Titus

16 But ^zthanks be to God, ^awho put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For ^bhe not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going⁴ to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending^{5 c}the brother who is famous among ^dall the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been ^eappointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of ^fgrace that is being ministered by us, ^gfor the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for ^hwe aim at what is honorable ⁱnot only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is ^jmy partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers⁶ of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of ^kour boasting about you to these men.

The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem

1 Now ^lit is superfluous for me to write to you about ^mthe ministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness, ⁿof which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready ^osince last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But ^pI am sending¹ the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, ^qas I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians ^rcome with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the ^sgift² you have promised, so that it may be ready ^tas a willing gift, ^unot as an exaction.³

The Cheerful Giver

6 The point is this: ^vwhoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully⁴ will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, ^wnot reluctantly or under compulsion, for ^xGod loves a cheerful giver. 8 And ^yGod is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency⁵ in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,

10 He who supplies ^aseed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and ^bincrease the harvest of your righteousness. 11 ^cYou will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which ^dthrough us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying ^ethe needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, ^fthey⁶ will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your ^gconfession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 ^hThanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!