For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it.

They were only hearing, "The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news of the faith he once tried to destroy."

Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek.

(for he who empowered Peter for his apostleship to the circumcised also empowered me for my apostleship to the Gentiles)

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he had clearly done wrong.

Until certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision.

But when I saw that they were not behaving consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, "If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to force the Gentiles to live like Jews?"

Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a minor, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything.

But he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.

But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.

I am confident in the Lord that you will accept no other view. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.

For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else.

Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows,