Galatians 2

Galatians 2 New International Version (NIV)

Paul Accepted by the Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

6 As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,[a] just as Peter had been to the circumcised.[b] 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James,Cephas[c] and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Paul Opposes Cephas

11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 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. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

14 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?

15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[d] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”[e]

Footnotes:

1. Galatians 2:7 That is, Gentiles
2. Galatians 2:7 That is, Jews; also in verses 8 and 9
3. Galatians 2:9 That is, Peter; also in verses 11 and 14
4. Galatians 2:16 Or but through the faithfulness of … justified on the basis of the faithfulness of
5. Galatians 2:21 Some interpreters end the quotation after verse 14.

Galatians 2 

Paul Accepted by the Apostles

What did Paul do after fourteen years? (verse 1)

Who did Paul take with him? (verse 1)

What did Paul go in response to? (verse 2)

How did Paul meet with those who were esteemed as leaders? (verse 2)

What did Paul present to those who were esteemed as leaders when they met? (verse 2)

Why did Paul present the gospel to them? (verse 2)

Was Titus compelled to be circumcised? (verse 3)

Was Titus a Greek? (verse 3)

Why had some false believers infiltrated? (verse 4)

Why were the false believers not given into? (verse 5)

Does God show favoritism? (verse 6)

Did those who were listening add anything to Paul's message? (verse 6)

What did those at the meeting recognize? (verse 7)

Who was Peter an apostle to? (verse 8)

Who gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to Paul? (verse 9)

What was Paul eager to do? (verse 10)

Paul Opposes Cephas

Why did Paul appose Cephas? (verse 11)

When did Cephas begin to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles? (verse 12)

What did other Jews and Banabas do when Cephas began to separate himself from eating with the gentiles? (verse 13)

Did Paul confront Cephas privately or in front of everyone? (verse 14)

What were Paul and Cephas by birth? (verse 15)

Is a person justified by the works of the law? (verse 16)

How is a person justified? (verse 16)

What does Paul say about himself and fellow Jews finding themselves among the sinnners? (verse 17)

"If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a ______________." - verse 18

Why did we die to the law? (verse 19)

Who lives in us? (verse 20)

How do we live in the body? (verse 20)

Did Paul set aside the grace of God for the righteousness that could be gained through the law? (verse 21)

Interpretation

"If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker." - in the context of the law of judgement and law of grace, what is Paul talking about here in verse 18? 

Thoughts

As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. - verse 6

Reminds me of Galations 3:28 and 3:11

Verse 11. wow. intense.

“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? - verse 14

 "So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified." - from verse 16

 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” - verse 17-21

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” - Luke 19:10

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Mark 2:17