God’s Word Translation
Galatians 2:14
14But I saw that they were not properly following the truth of the Good News. So I told Cephas in front of everyone, “You’re Jewish, but you live like a person who is not Jewish. So how can you insist that people who are not Jewish must live like Jews?”
Galatians 2:14 in other versions
- King James Version (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?
- New International Version (NIV)When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
- English Standard Version (ESV)But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?"
- New King James Version (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?
Context of Galatians 2:14
12He ate with people who were not Jewish until some men James had sent ⌞from Jerusalem⌟ arrived. Then Cephas drew back and would not associate with people who were not Jewish. He was afraid of those who insisted that circumcision was necessary. 13The other Jewish Christians also joined him in this hypocrisy. Even Barnabas was swept along with them. But I saw that they were not properly following the truth of the Good News. So I told Cephas in front of everyone, “You’re Jewish, but you live like a person who is not Jewish. So how can you insist that people who are not Jewish must live like Jews?” 15We are Jewish by birth, not sinners from other nations. 16Yet, we know that people don’t receive God’s approval by any effort to follow the laws in the Scriptures, but only by believing in Jesus Christ. So we also believed in Jesus Christ in order to receive God’s approval by faith in Christ and not by our own efforts. People won’t receive God’s approval by their own efforts.
Read all of Galatians 2Galatians 2:14 word by word
ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε εἶδον ὅτι οὐκ ὀρθοποδοῦσιν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, εἶπον τῷ Κηφᾷ ἔμπροσθεν πάντων· εἰ σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὑπάρχων ἐθνικῶς καὶ οὐχὶ Ἰουδαϊκῶς ζῇς, πῶς τὰ ἔθνη ἀναγκάζεις ἰουδαΐζειν;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butἀλλάalla · butG235
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- they walkedὀρθοποδέωorthopodeō · be uprightG3716
- notοὐou · noG3756
- according toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- the truthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
- of the gospelεὐαγγέλιονeuaggelion · gospelG2098
- I saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
- beforeἔμπροσθενemprosthen · beforeG1715
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- Ifεἰei · ifG1487
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- beingὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
- a JewἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- livestζάωzaō · to liveG2198
- after the manner of Gentilesἐθνικῶςethnikōs · Gentile-wayG1483
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- as do the JewsἸουδαϊκῶςIoudaikōs · JewG2452
- whyτίςtis · which?G5101
- compellest thouἀναγκάζωanagkazō · to compelG315
- the Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
- to live as do the JewsἸουδαΐζωIoudaizō · JewG2450
Cross-references for Galatians 2:14
- Psalms 15:2The one who walks with integrity, does what is righteous, and speaks the truth within his heart.
- Psalms 58:1Do you rulers really give fair verdicts? Do you judge Adam’s descendants fairly?
- Psalms 84:11The Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord grants favor and honor. He does not hold back any blessing from those who live innocently.
- Proverbs 2:7He has reserved priceless wisdom for decent people. He is a shield for those who walk in integrity
- Proverbs 10:9Whoever lives honestly will live securely, but whoever lives dishonestly will be found out.
- Galatians 2:5But we did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the Good News would always be yours.
- Romans 14:14The Lord Jesus has given me the knowledge and conviction that no food is unacceptable in and of itself. But it is unacceptable to a person who thinks it is.
- 1 Timothy 4:3They will try to stop others from getting married and from eating certain foods. God created food to be received with prayers of thanks by those who believe and know the truth.
- Hebrews 9:10These gifts and sacrifices were meant to be food, drink, and items used in various purification ceremonies. These ceremonies were required for the body until God would establish a new way of doing things.
- Galatians 2:11When Cephas came to Antioch, I had to openly oppose him because he was completely wrong.
- Leviticus 19:17“Never hate another Israelite. Be sure to correct your neighbor so that you will not be guilty of sinning along with him.
- Psalms 141:5A righteous person may strike me or correct me out of kindness. It is like lotion for my head. My head will not refuse it, because my prayer is directed against evil deeds.
- Proverbs 27:5Open criticism is better than unexpressed love.
- 1 Timothy 5:20Reprimand those leaders who sin. Do it in front of everyone so that the other leaders will also be afraid.
- Galatians 2:12He ate with people who were not Jewish until some men James had sent ⌞from Jerusalem⌟ arrived. Then Cephas drew back and would not associate with people who were not Jewish. He was afraid of those who insisted that circumcision was necessary.
- Acts 10:28He said to them, “You understand how wrong it is for a Jewish man to associate or visit with anyone of another race. But God has shown me that I should no longer call anyone impure or unclean.
Commentaries on Galatians 2:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14That they walked not uprightly - · They did not walk with a straight step - they did not maintain a firm footing. According to the truth of the Gospel - According to that true doctrine, which states that Christ is the end of the law for justification to every one that believes; and that such are under no obligation to observe circumcision and the other peculiar rites and ceremonies of the law. If thou, being a Jew, livest - This was a cutting reproof. He…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly - To walk, in the Scriptures, is usually expressive of conduct or deportment; and the idea here is, that their conduct in this case was not honest. According to the truth of the gospel - According to the true spirit and design of the gospel. That requires perfect honesty and integrity; and as that was the rule by which Paul regulated his life, and by which he felt that all ought to regulate their conduct, he…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. 14By living like a Gentile (eating with non-Jewish people and not following Jewish food laws), Peter showed that God accepts Gentiles equally with Jews through faith in Christ (see Acts 10:34–43; 11:17–18). how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? Both Jews and Gentiles would understand this from Peter’s actions.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. walked not uprightly--literally, "straight": "were not walking with straightforward steps." Compare Ga 6:16. truth of the gospel--which teaches that justification by legal works and observances is inconsistent with redemption by Christ. Paul alone here maintained the truth against Judaism, as afterwards against heathenism (2Ti 4:16, 17). Peter--"Cephas" in the oldest manuscripts before ... all--(1Ti 5:20). If thou, &c.--"If thou, although being a Jew…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 2:14
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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