Galatians 2:1-10·~1 min

The Council at Jerusalem

Paul says that fourteen years later he went again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus in response to revelation, and there set before the recognized leaders the gospel he preached among the Gentiles. Titus, though Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised, and Paul refused to yield to false brothers who had slipped in to spy on the church's freedom and bring it back into slavery.

F¹ourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also. ²I 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. ³Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. ⁴This 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. ⁵We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

Paul says that the recognized leaders added nothing to him, but instead saw that he had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised just as Peter was to the circumcised. James, Cephas, and John extended the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas, asking only that the poor be remembered, which Paul was eager to do.

⁶But as for the highly esteemed— whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism — those leaders added nothing to me. ⁷On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. ⁸For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles. ⁹And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, 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. ¹⁰They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Section summaryPaul says that fourteen years later he went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus, laid before the recognized leaders the gospel he preached among the Gentiles, and did not yield when false brothers tried to bring Titus under circumcision. The leaders added nothing to him, recognized the grace given to him, and extended fellowship to his Gentile mission, asking only that the poor be remembered.

Role in the chapterThis opening section joins Paul's independence to Jerusalem's recognition. It shows the gospel's unity without surrendering Gentile freedom to pressure from false brothers.