1 Then after fourteen years again I went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas, having also taken Titus with me; 2 and I went up by revelation, and submitted the good news to them that I preach among the nations, and privately to those esteemed, lest I ran or might run in vain; 3 but not even Titus, who [is] with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised— 4 and [that] because of the false brothers brought in unaware, who came in secretly to spy out our liberty that we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us under bondage, 5 to whom not even for an hour we gave place by subjection, that the truth of the good news might remain to you. 6 And from those who were esteemed to be something—whatever they were then, it makes no difference to me. God does not accept the face of man, for to me those esteemed added nothing, 7 but on the contrary, having seen that I have been entrusted with the good news of the uncircumcision, as Peter with [that] of the circumcision, 8 for He who worked with Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, worked also in me in regard to the nations, 9 and having known the grace that was given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who were esteemed to be pillars, they gave to me a right hand of fellowship, and to Barnabas, that we may go to the nations, and they to the circumcision, 10 only, that we should be mindful of the poor, which I also was diligent—this very thing—to do. 11 And when Peter came to Antioch, I stood up against him to the face, because he was blameworthy, 12 for before the coming of some from James, he was eating with the nations, and when they came, he was withdrawing and separating himself, fearing those of circumcision, 13 and the other Jews acted hypocritically with him, so that Barnabas was also carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they are not walking uprightly to the truth of the good news, I said to Peter before all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of the nations, and not in the manner of the Jews, how do you compel the nations to live like Jews? 15 We by nature Jews, and not sinners of the nations, 16 having also known that a man is not declared righteous by works of law, but through faith from Jesus Christ, we also believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be declared righteous by faith from Christ, and not by works of law, because no flesh will be declared righteous by works of law.” 17 And if, seeking to be declared righteous in Christ, we were also ourselves found sinners, [is] Christ then a servant of sin? Let it not be! 18 For if the things I threw down, these again I build up, I set myself forth [as] a transgressor; 19 for I died through law that I may live to God; 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me; and that which I now live in the flesh—I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me; 21 I do not make the grace of God void, for if righteousness [is] through law—then Christ died in vain.
Galatians · Literal Standard Version
Galatians 2 Literal Standard Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Titus
A Greek coworker of Paul, not compelled to be circumcised, who carried Paul's letters to Corinth, and whom Paul left in Crete to set things in order.
Cited in the guide: 2 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 8:23; Galatians 2:3
Places
Antioch (Syrian)
The empire's third-largest city and the first major Gentile church — the launching base for Paul's journeys. (Distinct from Pisidian Antioch.)
Cited in the guide: Acts 11:26; Acts 13:1-3; Galatians 2:11
Cross references (21)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Galatians 2:3; Acts 15:2–4; Acts 14:12; 2 Corinthians 8:16; Galatians 2:13
- 2 Galatians 2:6; Philippians 2:16; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 9:26
- 3 Acts 16:3; Galatians 5:2–6; 1 Corinthians 9:20–21; 2 Corinthians 2:13; Acts 15:24
- 4 Galatians 5:1; Jude 4; 2 Peter 2:1–2; 1 John 4:1; Galatians 5:12–13
- 5 Galatians 4:16; Galatians 2:14; Colossians 2:4–8; Colossians 1:5; Jude 3
- 6 Galatians 2:2; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; 2 Corinthians 12:11; 2 Corinthians 11:5
- 7 1 Thessalonians 2:4; Acts 9:15; 1 Timothy 2:7; Galatians 1:16; Acts 13:46–48
- 8 Acts 22:21; Acts 9:15; Acts 15:12; Acts 2:14–41; Acts 21:19
- 9 Romans 12:3; Revelation 3:12; Ephesians 3:8; Galatians 2:2; Acts 15:22–30
- 10 1 John 3:17; Hebrews 13:16; Acts 24:17; 2 Corinthians 8:1–9; 1 Corinthians 16:1–2
- 11 1 Timothy 5:20; Galatians 2:14; Acts 15:1; 2 Corinthians 5:16; Galatians 2:5
- 12 Acts 10:28; Luke 15:2; Ephesians 3:6; Acts 11:2–3; Matthew 26:69–75
- 13 1 Corinthians 15:33; Hebrews 13:9; Ephesians 4:14; Ecclesiastes 10:1; Genesis 12:11–13
- 14 Acts 10:28; Galatians 2:5; Acts 15:10–11; 1 Timothy 5:20; Proverbs 2:7
- 15 Ephesians 2:3; Titus 3:3; Romans 3:9; Ephesians 2:11–12; Philippians 3:4
- 16 Philippians 3:9; Psalm 143:2; Romans 3:19–28; Romans 9:30; 1 Peter 1:18–21
- 17 Romans 6:1–2; 1 John 3:8–10; 1 John 3:5; Galatians 2:15; Matthew 1:21
- 18 Galatians 4:9–12; Galatians 2:4–5; Galatians 2:12–16; Romans 14:15; Galatians 2:21
- 19 Romans 7:4; Romans 6:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; Romans 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:15
- 20 Galatians 5:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Romans 6:4–6; Colossians 3:3–4; 2 Corinthians 4:10–11
- 21 Romans 11:6; Galatians 3:21; Hebrews 7:11; 1 Corinthians 15:14; Galatians 2:16
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… that Paul alone knew the truth, and that to him the mystery was manifested by revelation, let Paul himself convict them, when he says, that one and the same God wrought in Peter for the apostolate of the circumcision, and in himself for the Gentiles. Peter, therefore, was an apostle of that very God whose was also Paul; and Him …
… the Son is the work of the Father, since it is written, "Who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all;" and that the Passion of the Son was His own work also, "Who loved me, and gave Himself for me." The Father delivered up the Son, and the Son delivered up Himself.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
"For He that wrought effectually in Peter," it is said, "to the apostleship of the circumcision, was mighty also in me towards the Gentiles." For since on seeing the Son, they were wroth and slew Him, He bids them again by His servants.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
But I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that Gospel which I preached among the Gentiles." And again he says, "For an hour we did give place to subjection, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you." If, then, any one shall, from the Acts of the Apostles, carefully scrutinize the time concerning which it is …
But the Apostle says, "If righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain." What the Apostle says of the Law, that say we of nature to these men.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)