Dispute in Antioch

15 Some men^(A) came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised^(B) according to the custom prescribed by Moses,^(C) you cannot be saved!” ² But after Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, the church arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this controversy.^{(D) 3} When they had been sent on their way by the church,^(E) they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, explaining in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they created great joy among all the brothers.

⁴ When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.^{(F) 5} But some of the believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses!”

¹⁵ We who are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners” ¹⁶ know that no one is justified by the works of the law^(A) but by faith in Jesus Christ.^[a] And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ^[b] and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will^[c] be justified. ¹⁷ But if we ourselves are also found to be “sinners” while seeking to be justified by Christ,^(B) is Christ then a promoter^[d](C) of sin? Absolutely not!^{(D) 18} If I rebuild^(E) the system^[e] I tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker.^{(F) 19} For through the law I have died to the law,^(G) so that I might live for God.^(H) I have been crucified with Christ^{[f] 20} and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.^(I) The life I now live in the body,^[g] I live by faith in the Son of God,^(J) who loved^(K) me^(L) and gave Himself^(M) for me.^{(N) 21} I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law,^(O) then Christ died^(P) for nothing.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.”^[a] Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.^{[b](A) 19} You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.^(B)

²⁰ Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? ²¹ Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected.^{(C) 23} So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,^(D)[c] and he was called God’s friend.^{(E) 24} You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And in the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different route?^{(F) 26} For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.