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Galatians 2

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Paul Confirms His Gospel with the Apostles 1–10

1
Then after the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. ​
2
And I went up by revelation; and I laid before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately before them who were of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had run, in vain. ​
3
But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: ​
4
and that because of the false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: ​
5
to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. ​
6
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: ​
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but contrariwise, when they saw that I had been intrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the gospel of the circumcision ​
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(for he that wrought for Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision wrought for me also unto the Gentiles);
9
and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision; ​
10
only they would that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do. ​

Paul Rebukes Peter at Antioch 11–14

11
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned. ​
12
For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision. ​
13
And the rest of the Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation. ​
14
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? ​

Justification Comes Through Faith in Christ 15–21

15
We being Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, ​
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yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. ​
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But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid. ​
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For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor.
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For I through the law died unto the law, that I might live unto God. ​
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I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. ​
21
I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nought. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Galatians 2

Verse 1

fourteen years after — The visit is the next one Paul reports after 'three years' (1:18). Barnabas, 'the son of consolation' and 'a Levite' (Acts 4:36), goes with him, and so does Titus, who is a Greek (v.3). A Jewish fellow-worker and an uncircumcised Gentile arrive together at the place where the question is to be put.

Verse 2

by revelation — The journey is on divine direction, as the gospel itself came 'by the revelation of Jesus Christ' (1:12). 'Communicated' (anatithemi, to lay before) occurs elsewhere only in Acts 25:14. 'Of reputation' is the verb dokeo, 'seemed' in vv.6 and 9. 'Run in vain' is the figure of Phil 2:16, 'I have not run in vain'.

Verse 3

being a Greek — Hellen, as in 1 Cor 12:13, 'whether we be Jews or Gentiles'. 'Compelled' is anankazo, the verb Paul uses again of Peter's pressure in v.14. Timothy, whose mother was a Jewess, was circumcised by Paul 'because of the Jews' (Acts 16:1–3); Titus, a Greek, was not, for the principle was then at stake.

Verse 4

false brethren — Pseudadelphos occurs only here and in 2 Cor 11:26. 'Unawares brought in' (pareisaktos) and 'spy out' (kataskopeo) occur only here, and 'bring into bondage' (katadouloo) only here and 2 Cor 11:20. The 'liberty' (eleutheria) they came to spy on is the one for which 'Christ hath made us free' (5:1).

Verse 5

the truth of the gospel — The phrase returns in v.14. Eiko, 'gave place', occurs only here. 'Subjection' is hypotage, a word used elsewhere of the Corinthians' 'professed subjection unto the gospel' (2 Cor 9:13). Paul's refusal is for the Galatians' sake: 'that the truth of the gospel might continue with you' (diameno, remain).

Verse 6

God accepteth no man's person — The words are the language of Deut 10:17, 'regardeth not persons', and Rom 2:11, 'no respect of persons with God'. 'Added' is prosanatithemi, found only here and in 1:16, 'I conferred not with flesh and blood'. Neither time was anything laid on Paul's gospel from men.

Verse 7

the gospel of the uncircumcision — 'Committed' is pisteuo, to be entrusted, as in 1 Thess 2:4, 'put in trust with the gospel'. The two fields are different, 'the uncircumcision' and 'the circumcision', not the message. Christ had called Paul 'a chosen vessel… to bear my name before the Gentiles' (Acts 9:15). 'Peter' here is Cephas of v.9 (John 1:42).

Verse 9

pillars — Stulos is a column, the figure of 'the pillar and ground of the truth' (1 Tim 3:15) and of the overcomer made 'a pillar in the temple of my God' (Rev 3:12). 'Fellowship' is koinonia, sealed by 'the right hands'. They recognised 'the grace that was given' to Paul, as he writes in Rom 1:5, 'grace and apostleship'.

Verse 10

remember the poor — The request was met in the collection for 'the poor saints which are at Jerusalem' (Rom 15:26; 1 Cor 16:1), which Paul later took with him: 'I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings' (Acts 24:17). 'Was forward' is spoudazo, to be eager; he had already been at it.

Verse 11

I withstood him to the face — 'Withstood' is anthistemi, the verb of 'withstand in the evil day' (Eph 6:13) and 'Resist the devil' (Jas 4:7). 'To be blamed' is kataginosko, to condemn, found elsewhere only in 1 John 3:20–21. 'Face' is prosopon, the noun rendered 'person' in v.6.

Verse 12

he did eat with the Gentiles — Sunesthio, to eat with, is the verb of the charge against Peter after Cornelius, 'Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them' (Acts 11:3). 'Withdrew' is hupostello, as 'draw back' in Heb 10:38, and 'separated' is aphorizo, which Paul used of himself as 'separated' from his mother's womb (1:15).

Verse 13

dissembled — Sunupokrinomai occurs only here; 'dissimulation' is hupokrisis, the 'hypocrisy' of Matt 23:28. 'Carried away' is sunapago, as in 'led away with the error of the wicked' (2 Pet 3:17). The one drawn off is Barnabas, who had been given the right hand with Paul (v.9).

Verse 14

walked not uprightly — Orthopodeo, to walk on straight feet, occurs only here. 'The truth of the gospel' recalls v.5. 'Compellest' is anankazo, the verb of v.3. 'To live as do the Jews' is ioudaizo, found only here, and 'after the manner of Gentiles' (ethnikos) likewise only here.

Verse 15

sinners of the Gentiles — The phrase is how Jews spoke of the nations outside the law. Paul had 'proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin' (Rom 3:9). 'By nature' is phusis, the word of Eph 2:3, 'by nature the children of wrath, even as others'. Birth among the Jews gives no standing here, as v.16 goes on to say.

Verse 16

justified — Dikaioo, to declare righteous, comes three times in this verse, and 'the works of the law' three times. 'No flesh be justified' draws on Ps 143:2, 'in thy sight shall no man living be justified', and is repeated in Rom 3:20. The way into it is 'the faith of Jesus Christ', and 'even we', Jews, have believed.

Verse 17

the minister of sin — Diakonos, servant, is also used of Christ in Rom 15:8, 'a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God'. 'God forbid' is me genoito, 'may it not be', Paul's usual answer to a charge of that kind (Rom 6:2). Seeking justification in Christ does not make him a promoter of sin.

Verse 19

dead to the law — The reasoning is that of Rom 7:4, 'dead to the law by the body of Christ', and of Rom 6:11, 'dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ'. 'Through the law' Paul came to the death that frees him from it; the end is 'that I might live unto God'.

Verse 20

I am crucified with Christ — Sustauroo, crucified together with, is the verb of 'our old man is crucified with him' (Rom 6:6), and of the thieves 'crucified with him' (Matt 27:44). 'Gave himself' is paradidomi, the verb of 'gave himself for it' in Eph 5:25. Faith, not law, is how the life 'in the flesh' is lived.

Verse 21

I do not frustrate the grace of God — 'Frustrate' is atheteo, to set aside, the verb of 'ye reject the commandment of God' (Mark 7:9). 'In vain' is dorean, 'without cost' or 'without cause', rendered 'freely' in Rom 3:24. If righteousness came by the law, Christ's death would have had no cause.