And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching.( By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.)

至于那些有名望的，不论他是何等人，都与我无干。神不以外貌取人。那些有名望的，并没有加增我什么，

至于那些有名望的，不论他们是何等人，都与我无关；上帝不以外貌取人。那些有名望的，并没有加增我什么。

至于那些有名望的，不论他们是何等人，都与我无关；神不以外貌取人。那些有名望的，并没有加增我什么。

至于那些德高望重的教会领袖，他们的地位对我来说无关紧要，因为上帝不以貌取人。他们对我所传的并没有增加什么。

至于那些被认为有名望的人（无论他们从前怎么样，都与我无关；神不以外貌取人），他们并没有给我增加什么；

至于那些公认是人物的——无论他们从前什么样，都对我没有区别；神不以外貌取人。那些公认是人物的并没有给我增添什么；

至於那些有名望的，不論他是何等人，都與我無干。神不以外貌取人。那些有名望的，並沒有加增我甚麼，

至於那些有名望的，不論他們是何等人，都與我無關；上帝不以外貌取人。那些有名望的，並沒有加增我甚麼。

至於那些有名望的，不論他們是何等人，都與我無關；神不以外貌取人。那些有名望的，並沒有加增我甚麼。

至於那些德高望重的教會領袖，他們的地位對我來說無關緊要，因為上帝不以貌取人。他們對我所傳的並沒有增加什麼。

至於那些被認為有名望的人（無論他們從前怎麼樣，都與我無關；神不以外貌取人），他們並沒有給我增加甚麼；

至於從那些所謂有名望的人呢（無論他們從前是甚麼樣的人，於我都沒有差別。上帝不以外貌取人）——那些有名望的人於我並沒有增益甚麼。

至於那些公認是人物的——無論他們從前什麼樣，都對我沒有區別；神不以外貌取人。那些公認是人物的並沒有給我增添什麼；

至於有名望者、無論何如人、於我無與、蓋上帝不以貌視人、彼有名望者、無所增益於我、

其有名者、不論何人、於我無與、上帝不以貌取人、要其有名者、與我無所增益、

至於有名者、不論何人、皆與我無與、天主不以貌取人、彼有名者、於我無所增益、

然吾人屹然不搖、未嘗於須臾之間、受其羈縻；此亦所以使福音之真傳、長存爾中、始終不渝耳。至於眾望所歸之同人、予亦未因其聲價之特殊、而另眼相看。夫人之貴賤、於天主乎何有？實則彼等於予亦未有所增；

As for those who were held in high esteem— whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism— they added nothing to my message.

Some people in Jerusalem were thought to be important. But it makes no difference to me what they were. God does not treat people differently. Those people added nothing to my message.

And from those who seemed to be influential( what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)— those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.

Now from those recognized as important( what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism)— they added nothing to me.

But from those who were of considerable repute( what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism)— well, those who were of repute contributed nothing to me.

But from those who seemed to be something— whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man— for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.

But from those who were reputed to be somewhat( whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man’s person)— they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me:

Now from those recognized as important( what they really were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism)— they added nothing to me.

But of these who seemed to be somewhat,( whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed[ to be somewhat] in conference added nothing to me:

But from those who were influential( whatever they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people)– those influential leaders added nothing to my message.

But from those who were reputed to be important— whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man— they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me,

I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing.

Then Peter replied,“ I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.

You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these“ super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all.

If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these“ super apostles” who teach such things.

For God does not show favoritism.

Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too“ weak” to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about— I’m talking like a fool again— I dare to boast about it, too.Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as“ temporary residents.”

Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said,“ I am young and you are old, so I held back from telling you what I think.I thought,‘ Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.’

They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him.“ Teacher,” they said,“ we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.

He doesn’t care how great a person may be, and he pays no more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all.

Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue.At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows:“ Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe.God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.When they had finished, James stood and said,“ Brothers, listen to me.Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:‘ Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it,so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord, including the Gentiles— all those I have called to be mine. The Lord has spoken—he who made these things known so long ago.’“ And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders— Judas( also called Barsabbas) and Silas.This is the letter they took with them:“ This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!“ We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them!So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question.“ For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements:You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”

For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her.John had been telling Herod,“ It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.”So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless,for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.

No, I will say my piece. I will speak my mind.For I am full of pent up words, and the spirit within me urges me on.I am like a cask of wine without a vent, like a new wineskin ready to burst!I must speak to find relief, so let me give my answers.I won’t play favorites or try to flatter anyone.For if I tried flattery, my Creator would soon destroy me.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!

“ Teacher,” they said,“ we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully.

“ Teacher,” they said,“ we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us— is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews.Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong.When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision.As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others,“ Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?