Amplified Bible
Galatians 2:12
12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat [his meals] with the Gentiles; but when the men [from Jerusalem] arrived, he began to withdraw and separate himself [from the Gentile believers], because he was afraid of those from the circumcision.
Galatians 2:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
- New International Version (NIV)For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.
- New King James Version (NKJV)for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
Context of Galatians 2:12
10They asked only [one thing], that we remember the poor, the very thing I was also eager to do. 11Now when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him face to face [about his conduct there], because he stood condemned [by his own actions]. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat [his meals] with the Gentiles; but when the men [from Jerusalem] arrived, he began to withdraw and separate himself [from the Gentile believers], because he was afraid of those from the circumcision. 13The rest of the Jews joined him in this hypocrisy [ignoring their knowledge that Jewish and Gentile Christians were united, under the new covenant, into one faith], with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14But when I saw that they were not being straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas (Peter) in front of everyone, “If you, being a Jew, live [as you have been living] like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how is it that you are [now virtually] forcing the Gentiles to live like Jews [if they want to eat with you]?”
Read all of Galatians 2Galatians 2:12 word by word
πρὸ τοῦ γὰρ ἐλθεῖν τινας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβου μετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν συνήσθιεν· ὅτε δὲ ἦλθον, ὑπέστελλεν καὶ ἀφώριζεν ἑαυτὸν φοβούμενος τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
- thatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- certainτιςtis · oneG5100
- cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- JamesἸάκωβοςIakōbos · JamesG2385
- he did eatσυνεσθίωsunesthiō · to eat withG4906
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- the Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
- butδέde · thenG1161
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- he withdrewὑποστέλλωhupostellō · to withdrawG5288
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- separatedἀφορίζωaphorizō · to separateG873
- himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- fearingφοβέωphobeō · to fearG5399
- were ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- the circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061
Cross-references for Galatians 2:12
- Galatians 2:9And recognizing the grace [that God had] bestowed on me, James and Cephas (Peter) and John, who were reputed to be pillars [of the Jerusalem church], gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we could go to the Gentiles [with their blessing] and they to the circumcised (Jews).
- Acts 21:18On the next day Paul went with us to [see] James, and all the elders of the church were present.
- Acts 10:28He said to them, “You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with or befriend a Gentile, or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I am not to call anyone common or [ceremonially] unclean.
- Acts 11:3saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and [even] ate with them!”
- Ephesians 2:15by abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the hostility caused by the Law with its commandments contained in ordinances [which He satisfied]; so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thereby establishing peace.
- Ephesians 3:6[it is this:] that the Gentiles are now joint heirs [with the Jews] and members of the same body, and joint partakers [sharing] in the [same divine] promise in Christ Jesus through [their faith in] the good news [of salvation].
- Isaiah 65:5Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am too holy for you [and you might defile me]!’ These [people] are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.
- Luke 15:2Both the Pharisees and the scribes began muttering and complaining, saying, “This man accepts and welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:22Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].
- Proverbs 29:25The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and safe.
- Isaiah 57:11“About whom were you worried and fearful That you lied and did not remember Me, Nor give Me a thought? Was I not silent even for a long time And [as a result] you do not fear Me?
- Matthew 26:69Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came up to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
Commentaries on Galatians 2:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles - Here was Peter's fault. He was convinced that God had pulled down the middle wall of partition that had so long separated the Jews and Gentiles, and he acted on this conviction, associating with the latter and eating with them; but when certain Jews came from James, who it appears considered the law still to be in force, lest he should place a stumbling-block before them he withdrew from…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For before that certain came - Some of the Jews who had been converted to Christianity. They evidently observed in the strictest manner the rites of the Jewish religion. Came from James - See the note at Galatians 1:19. Whether they were sent by James, or whether they came of their own accord, is unknown. It is evident only that they had been intimate with James at Jerusalem, and they doubtless pleaded his authority. James had nothing to do with the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-14Verses 11-14 Notwithstanding Peter's character, yet, when Paul saw him acting so as to hurt the truth of the gospel and the peace of the church, he was not afraid to reprove him. When he saw that Peter and the others did not live up to that principle which the gospel taught, and which they professed, namely, That by the death of Christ the partition wall between Jew and Gentile was taken down, and the observance of the law of Moses was no longer in force…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Peter ate with the non-Jewish believers because God had shown him it was right (Acts 10:9–16, 34–35). James's friends wanted to stop Jewish and non-Jewish believers from eating and meeting together freely. These people insisted that everyone should follow strict Jewish religious customs. They tried to force non-Jewish believers to follow Jewish rules about food and religious practices. he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. certain--men: perhaps James' view (in which he was not infallible, any more than Peter) was that the Jewish converts were still to observe Jewish ordinances, from which he had decided with the council the Gentiles should be free (Ac 15:19). Neander, however, may be right in thinking these self-styled delegates from James were not really from him. Ac 15:24 favors this. "Certain from James," may mean merely that they came from the Church at Jerusalem…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 2:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Galatians 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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