2 1 That the Apostles did nothing disagree from his Gospel, 3 he declareth by the example of Titus being uncircumcised, 11 and also by his . . . the same against Peter’s dissimulation. 17 And so he passeth to the handling of our free justification by Christ, etc.
1 Then [a]fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took with me Titus also.
2 And I went up by revelation, and declared unto them that Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but particularly to them that were the chief, lest by any means I should run, or had run [b]in vain:
3 But neither yet Titus which was with me, though he were a Grecian, was compelled to be circumcised,
4 To wit, for the [c]false brethren which were craftily sent in, and crept 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 not place by [d]subjection for an hour, that the [e]truth of the Gospel might continue with [f]you.
6 But by them which seemed to be great, I was not taught (whatsoever they were in time passed, I am nothing the better: (A)God accepteth no man’s person) for they that are the chief, did add nothing to me above that I had.
7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the Gospel over the [g]uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the Gospel over the circumcision was unto Peter:
8 (For he that was mighty by Peter in the Apostleship over the circumcision, was also mighty by me toward the Gentiles.)
9 And when James, and Cephas, and John, knew of the grace that was given unto me, which are [h]counted to be pillars, they gave to me and to Barnabas the right [i]hands of fellowship, that we should preach unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision,
10 Warning only that we should remember the poor: which thing also I was diligent to do.
11 ¶ And when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to his [j]face: for he was to be condemned.
12 [k]For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
13 And the other Jews played the hypocrites likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas was [l]led away with them by that their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw, that they went not the [m]right way to the [n]truth of the Gospel, I said unto Peter before all men, If thou being a Jew, livest as the Gentiles, and not like the Jews, why [o]constrainest thou the Gentiles to do like the Jews?
15 [p]We which are Jews [q]by nature, and not [r]sinners of the Gentiles,
16 Know that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith [s]of Jesus Christ, even we, I say, have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law, because that by the works of the Law, [t]no flesh shall be justified.
17 (B)[u]If then while [v]we seek to be made righteous by Christ, we ourselves are found sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sin? God forbid.
18 For if I build again the things that I have destroyed, I make myself a trespasser.
19 For I through the Law am dead to the [w]Law, that I might live unto God.
20 I am crucified with Christ, but I live, yet not [x]I anymore, but Christ liveth in me: and in that I now live in the [y]flesh, I live by the faith in the Son of God, who hath loved me, and given himself for me.
21 [z]I do not abrogate the grace of God: for if righteousness be by the Law, then Christ died without a [aa]cause.
Footnotes
- Galatians 2:1 Now he showeth how he agreeth with the Apostles with whom he granteth that he conferred touching his Gospel which he taught among the Gentiles, fourteen years after his conversion, and they allowed it in such sort, that they constrained not his fellow Titus to be circumcised, although some tormented themselves therein, which traitorously laid wait against him, but in vain: neither did they add the least iota that might be to the doctrine which he had preached, but contrariwise they gave to him and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship and acknowledged them as Apostles appointed of the Lord to the Gentiles.
- Galatians 2:2 Unfruitfully, for as touching his doctrine, Paul doubted not of it, but because there were certain reports cast abroad of him, that he was of another opinion than the rest of the Apostles were, which thing might have hindered the course of the Gospel, therefore he labored to remedy this sore.
- Galatians 2:4 Which by deceit, and counterfeit holiness crept in amongst the faithful.
- Galatians 2:5 By submitting ourselves to them, and betraying our own liberty.
- Galatians 2:5 The true and sincere doctrine of the Gospel, which remained safe from being corrupt with any of these men’s false doctrines.
- Galatians 2:5 Under the Galatians’ name, he understandeth all nations.
- Galatians 2:7 Among the Gentiles, as Peter had to preach it among the Jews.
- Galatians 2:9 Whom alone and only, these men count for pillars of the Church, and whose name they abuse to deceive you.
- Galatians 2:9 They gave us their hand in token that we agreed wholly in the doctrine of the Gospel.
- Galatians 2:11 Before all men.
- Galatians 2:12 Another most vehement proof of his Apostleship, and also of that doctrine, which he had delivered concerning free justification by faith only because that for this thing only he reprehended Peter at Antioch, who offended herein, in that for a few Jews’ sakes which came from Jerusalem he played the Jew, and offended the Gentiles which had believed.
- Galatians 2:13 By example rather than by judgment.
- Galatians 2:14 Word for word, with a right foot which he setteth against halting and dissembling which is backward.
- Galatians 2:14 He calleth the truth of the Gospel both the doctrine itself, and also the use of doctrine, which we call the practice.
- Galatians 2:14 He saith they were constrained, which played the Jews by Peter’s example.
- Galatians 2:15 The second part of this Epistle, the state whereof is this: we are justified by faith in Christ Jesus without the works of the Law: which thing he propoundeth in such sort, that first of all he meeteth with an objection, (for I also saith he am a Jew, that no man may say against me, that I am an enemy to the Law) and afterward, he confirmeth it by the express witness of David.
- Galatians 2:15 Although we be Jews, yet we preach justification by faith because we know undoubtedly, that no man can be justified by the Law.
- Galatians 2:15 So the Jews called the Gentiles, because they were strangers from God’s covenant.
- Galatians 2:16 In Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 2:16 No man, and in this word (flesh) there is a great vehemence, whereby is meant that the nature of man is utterly corrupt.
- Galatians 2:17 Before he goeth any further, he meeteth with their objection, which abhorred this doctrine of free justification by faith, because say they, men are by this means withdrawn from the study of good works. And in this sort is the objection, If sinners should be justified through Christ by faith without the Law Christ should approve sinners, and should as it were exhort them thereunto by his ministry. Paul answereth that this consequence is false, because that Christ destroyeth sin in the believers: For so saith he do men flee unto Christ, through the terror and fear of the Law that being quit from the curse of the Law and justified, they may be saved by him, that together therewithall, he beginneth in them by little and little, that strength and power of his which destroyeth sin: to the end that this old man being abolished by the virtue of Christ crucified, Christ may live in them, and they may consecrate themselves to God. Therefore if any man give himself to sin after he hath received the Gospel, let him not accuse Christ nor the Gospel, but himself, for that he destroyeth the work of God in himself.
- Galatians 2:17 He goeth from justification to sanctification, which is another benefit we receive by Christ, if we lay hold on him by faith.
- Galatians 2:19 The Law that terrifieth the conscience, bringeth us to Christ, and he only causeth us to die to the Law indeed, because that by making us righteous, he taketh away from us the terror of conscience, and by sanctifying us, causeth through the mortifying of lust in us, that it cannot take such occasion to sin by the restraint which the Law maketh, as it did before, Rom. 7:10-11.
- Galatians 2:20 The same that I was before.
- Galatians 2:20 In this mortal body.
- Galatians 2:21 The second argument taken of an absurdity: If men may be justified by the Law, then was it not necessary for Christ to die.
- Galatians 2:21 For there was no cause why he should do so.