We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Parallel translations
- WEB “We, being Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners,
- BSB We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners”
- NKJV We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
- NASB “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from the Gentiles;
- NLT “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles.
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 notes that he and Peter are Jews by birth, not Gentile sinners. He begins from common ground before stating the gospel truth.
Overview
This verse opens Paul's summary of justification, addressed first to fellow Jews. He concedes the Jewish sense of privilege as a starting point, only to overturn reliance on it. Even those born into the covenant people, he will argue, are justified by faith, not heritage or law.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Eph 2:3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
- Titus 3:3For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
- Rom 3:9What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
- Eph 2:11–12Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
- Phil 3:4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
- Rom 4:16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
- John 8:39–41They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
- Matt 3:7–9But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
- 1 Sam 15:18And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
- Matt 9:11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
- Mark 7:26–28The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
- Acts 22:21And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.
How Galatians 2:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.