Galatians 2

Paul Defends His Gospel at Jerusalem

1 Then after 14 years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.
2 I went up because of a revelation and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles-but privately to those recognized [as leaders]-so that I might not be running, or have run, in vain.
3 But not even Titus who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
4 [This issue arose] because of false brothers smuggled in, who came in secretly to spy on our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.
5 But we did not yield in submission to these people for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain for you.
6 But from those recognized as important (what they really were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism[a])-those recognized as important added nothing to me.
7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter was for the circumcised.
8 For He who was at work with Peter in the apostleship to the circumcised was also at work with me among the Gentiles.
9 When James, Cephas, and John, recognized as pillars, acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, [agreeing] that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10 [They asked] only that we would remember the poor, which I made every effort to do.

Freedom from the Law

11 But when Cephas[b] came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned.[c]
12 For he used to eat with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.
13 Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas[d] in front of everyone, "If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?"[e]
15 We are Jews by birth and not "Gentile sinners";
16 yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ.[f] And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ[g] and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will[h] be justified.
17 But if, while seeking to be justified by Christ, we ourselves are also found to be sinners, is Christ then a promoter[i] of sin? Absolutely not!
18 If I rebuild those things that I tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker.
19 For through the law I have died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ;
20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh,[j] I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Footnotes 10

  • [a]. Or God is not a respecter of persons; lit God does not receive the face of man
  • [b]. Other mss read Peter
  • [c]. Or he was in the wrong
  • [d]. Other mss read Peter
  • [e]. Some translations continue the quotation through v. 16 or v. 21.
  • [f]. Or by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ
  • [g]. Or by the faithfulness of Christ
  • [h]. Lit law all flesh will not
  • [i]. Or servant
  • [j]. The physical body

Galatians 2 Commentaries

Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.