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?
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?
- BSB 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?”
- 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 2:5to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you.
- Acts 10:28He said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean.
- Acts 15:10–11Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
- 1 Tim 5:20Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
- Prov 2:7He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity;
- Ps 84:11For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
- Gal 6:12As many as desire to look good in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
- Acts 15:28–29For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:
- Gal 2:7but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcision
- Acts 15:24Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment;
- Acts 15:19–21“Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,
- Heb 12:13and make straight paths for your feet, so that which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
- 1 Tim 4:3–5forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
- Gal 2:9and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.
- Heb 9:10being only (with meats and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
- Gal 2:11–13But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned.
- Rom 14:14I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
- Lev 19:17“‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
- Ps 58:1For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?
- Ps 141:5Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head; don’t let my head refuse it; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.
- Prov 27:5–6Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
- Ps 15:2He who walks blamelessly does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart;
- Prov 10:9He who walks blamelessly walks surely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
- Acts 11:3–18saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them!”
- Gal 2:3But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
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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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