4. This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.
5. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
6. As for those who were held in high esteem – whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favouritism – they added nothing to my message.
7. On the contrary, they recognised that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
8. For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles.
9. James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognised the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
10. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.