The Council at Jerusalem
(Acts 15:5–21)
Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also. Gal 2:31Co 9:62Co 8:162Co 8:23Act 11:25Act 11:30Act 12:25Act 13:2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain. Gal 2:6Php 2:161Th 3:51Co 1:231Co 9:26Gal 2:91Co 2:21Co 9:24 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. Act 16:3Gal 5:2-61Co 9:20-212Co 2:13Act 15:24
This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. Gal 5:1Jud 1:41Jn 4:12Pe 2:1-22Co 11:26Gal 5:12-13Gal 4:3Gal 4:9-10 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. Gal 2:14Gal 4:16Col 1:5Col 2:4-8Eph 1:13Gal 3:1-2Jud 1:31Th 2:13
But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism 1—those leaders added nothing to me. Gal 2:2Act 10:34Rom 2:112Co 12:111Pe 1:172Co 11:5Gal 6:32Co 11:21-23 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 1Th 2:4Act 9:151Ti 2:7Gal 1:161Ti 1:112Ti 1:11Act 13:46-48Gal 2:9 For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles. Act 22:21Act 9:15Act 15:12Act 19:11-12Act 2:14-41Act 21:191Co 15:101Co 9:2
And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, 2 and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. Rom 12:3Rev 3:12Eph 3:8Gal 2:21Jn 1:3Act 15:22-30Gal 2:6-7Rev 21:14-20 They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. 1Jn 3:17Act 24:17Heb 13:162Co 8:1-91Co 16:1-2Act 11:29-30Rom 15:25-27Jas 2:15-16
Paul Confronts Cephas
When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned. 1Ti 5:20Act 15:1Gal 2:142Co 5:161Jn 1:8-102Co 11:21-282Co 12:11Act 15:30-35 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group. Act 10:28Luk 15:2Act 11:2-3Eph 3:6Gal 2:9Isa 57:11Mat 26:69-75Pro 29:25 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 1Co 15:33Heb 13:9Eph 4:141Co 5:61Co 8:9Act 4:36Ecc 10:1Gen 12:11-13
When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” 3 Act 10:28Gal 2:5Act 15:10-111Ti 5:20Act 15:28-29Gal 6:12Pro 2:7Psa 84:11
We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners” Eph 2:3Tit 3:3Rom 3:9Eph 2:11-12Jhn 8:39-41Php 3:4Rom 4:161Sa 15:18 know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, 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. Php 3:9Psa 143:2Rom 3:19-281Pe 1:18-21Rom 9:30Act 13:38-391Pe 3:181Jn 2:1-2
But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not! Rom 6:1-21Jn 3:8-101Jn 3:5Gal 2:15Mat 1:21Rom 11:7Rom 9:30-332Co 3:7-9 If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker. Gal 4:9-12Gal 2:4-5Gal 2:12-16Gal 2:21Rom 14:151Co 8:11-12Gal 5:11
For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God. Rom 7:4Rom 6:21Th 5:102Co 5:15Rom 6:11Rom 3:19-20Rom 14:7-8Rom 8:2 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Gal 5:242Co 5:15Rom 6:4-6Col 3:3-42Co 4:10-11Rom 6:8Gal 6:142Co 13:5 I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing. Rom 11:6Gal 3:21Heb 7:111Co 15:14Gal 2:16Gal 5:2-4Isa 49:4Rom 10:3