When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Parallel translations
- WEB But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?
- KJV But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
- NKJV But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?
- NASB But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
- NLT 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?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul publicly challenged Peter for forcing Gentiles to live like Jews when he himself did not. Their conduct contradicted the truth of the gospel.
Overview
Paul points out the inconsistency: Peter lived freely among Gentiles yet now pressured them toward Jewish customs. Such behavior implied that law-keeping was needed for full acceptance, undermining grace. By addressing Peter 'before them all,' Paul defended the gospel openly where it had been compromised.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 25
- Gal 2:5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
- Acts 10:28He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
- Acts 15:10–11Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
- 1 Tim 5:20But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
- Prov 2:7He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity,
- Ps 84:11For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- Gal 6:12Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.
- Acts 15:28–29It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:
- Gal 2:7On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
- Acts 15:24It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.
- Acts 15:19–21It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
- Heb 12:13Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
- 1 Tim 4:3–5They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
- Gal 2:9And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
- Heb 9:10They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.
- Gal 2:11–13When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.
- Rom 14:14I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.
- Lev 19:17You must not harbor hatred against your brother in your heart. Directly rebuke your neighbor, so that you will not incur guilt on account of him.
- Ps 58:1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
- Ps 141:5Let the righteous man strike me; let his rebuke be an act of loving devotion. It is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. For my prayer is ever against the deeds of the wicked.
- Prov 27:5–6Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed.
- Ps 15:2He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness, who speaks the truth from his heart,
- Prov 10:9He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
- Acts 11:3–18and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
- Gal 2:3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
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Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
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