Galatians 2:14
New International Version
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?

New Living Translation
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?

English Standard Version
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?”

Berean Standard Bible
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?”

Berean Literal Bible
But when I saw that they are not walking in line according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before all, "If you being a Jew live like a Gentile, and not like a Jew, why do you compel the Gentiles to Judaize?

King James Bible
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 King James Version
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?

New American Standard Bible
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?

NASB 1995
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?

NASB 1977
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?

Legacy Standard Bible
But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before everyone, “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?

Amplified Bible
But 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]?”

Christian Standard Bible
But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?”

American Standard Version
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Contemporary English Version
But when I saw they were not really obeying the truth that is in the good news, I corrected Peter in front of everyone and said: Peter, you are a Jew, but you live like a Gentile. So how can you force Gentiles to live like Jews?

English Revised Version
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
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?"

Good News Translation
When I saw that they were not walking a straight path in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you have been living like a Gentile, not like a Jew. How, then, can you try to force Gentiles to live like Jews?"

International Standard Version
But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, "Though you are a Jew, you have been living like a gentile and not like a Jew. So how can you insist that the gentiles must live like Jews?"

Majority Standard Bible
When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter 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?”

NET Bible
But when I saw that they were not behaving consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, "If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to force the Gentiles to live like Jews?"

New Heart English Bible
But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live as the non-Jews do, and not as the Jews do, how can you compel the non-Jews to live as the Jews do?

Webster's Bible Translation
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to 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?

Weymouth New Testament
As soon as I saw that they were not walking uprightly in the spirit of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, though you are a Jew, live as a Gentile does, and not as a Jew, how can you make the Gentiles follow Jewish customs?

World English Bible
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?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
But when I saw that they are not walking uprightly to the truth of the good news, I said to Peter before all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of the nations, and not in the manner of the Jews, how do you compel the nations to live like Jews?

Berean Literal Bible
But when I saw that they are not walking in line according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before all, "If you being a Jew live like a Gentile, and not like a Jew, why do you compel the Gentiles to Judaize?

Young's Literal Translation
But when I saw that they are not walking uprightly to the truth of the good news, I said to Peter before all, 'If thou, being a Jew, in the manner of the nations dost live, and not in the manner of the Jews, how the nations dost thou compel to Judaize?

Smith's Literal Translation
But when I saw that they went not upon the strait road according to the truth of the good news, I said to Peter before all, If thou, being a Jew, livest according to the nations, and not according to the Jews, why forcest thou the nations to live as the Jews?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly unto the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all: If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles, and not as the Jews do, how dost thou compel the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Catholic Public Domain Version
But when I had seen that they were not walking correctly, by the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in front of everyone: “If you, while you are a Jew, are living like the Gentiles and not the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to keep the customs of the Jews?”

New American Bible
But when I saw that they were not on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of all, “If you, though a Jew, are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

New Revised Standard Version
But when I saw that they were not acting consistently 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 compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But when I saw that they were not following uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter, in the presence of them all, If you being a Jew live after the manner of Gentiles and not as do the Jews, why do you compel the Gentile converts to live as do the Jews?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when I saw that they were not walking uprightly in the truth of The Gospel, I said to Kaypha in the sight of all of them, “If you who are a Jew are living like a Syrian and you are not living as a Jew, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter, before them all: If you, being a Jew, live after the manner of the Gentiles, and not after the manner of the Jews, why do you compel the Gentiles to observe Jewish customs?

Godbey New Testament
But when I saw that they are not walking uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, If you being a Jew are living like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how do you compel the Gentiles to judaize?

Haweis New Testament
But when I saw that they walked not directly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to judaize?

Mace New Testament
but when I saw, they conformed not their conduct to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all: if you being a Jew, live after the manner of the Gentiles, and not according to that of the Jews, why do you constrain the Gentiles to judaize?

Weymouth New Testament
As soon as I saw that they were not walking uprightly in the spirit of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, though you are a Jew, live as a Gentile does, and not as a Jew, how can you make the Gentiles follow Jewish customs?

Worrell New Testament
But, when I saw that they were not walking uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in presence of them all, "If you, being a Jew, live as do the gentiles, and not as the Jews, how do you compel the gentiles to live as do the Jews?"

Worsley New Testament
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all,---If thou, who art a Jew, livest sometimes after the manner of the gentiles, and not like the Jews, why dost thou now in a manner compel the gentiles to judaize?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul Confronts Cephas
13The 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 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?” 15We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners”…

Cross References
Acts 10:28
He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.

Acts 15:1-11
Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” / And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. / Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers. ...

Romans 3:9
What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.

Romans 3:29-30
Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, / since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

Romans 14:13
Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.

1 Corinthians 9:20-21
To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. / To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law.

Ephesians 2:14-16
For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility / by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace / and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.

Colossians 2:14
having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!

Titus 1:10-11
For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision, / who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.

James 2:10-12
Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. / For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. / Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.

Matthew 23:3
So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

John 7:24
Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”

Acts 11:2-3
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him / and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

Acts 21:20-21
When they heard this, they glorified God. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. / But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs.

1 Timothy 1:7
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.


Treasury of Scripture

But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, If you, being a Jew, live after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compel you the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

walked.

Psalm 15:2
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Psalm 58:1
To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David. Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?

Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

the truth.

Galatians 2:5
To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Romans 14:14
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

1 Timothy 4:3-5
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth…

I said.

Galatians 2:11
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

Leviticus 19:17
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

Psalm 141:5
Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

If thou.

Galatians 2:12,13
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…

Acts 10:28
And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Acts 11:3-18
Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them…

why.

Galatians 2:3
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

Galatians 6:12
As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Acts 15:10,11,19-21,24,28,29
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? …

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Galatians 2
1. He shows when he went up again to Jerusalem, and for what purpose;
3. and that Titus was not circumcised;
11. and that he resisted Peter, and told him the reason;
14. why he and others, being Jews, believe in Christ to be justified by faith, and not by works;
20. and that they live not in sin, who are so justified.














When I saw
This phrase indicates a moment of realization and discernment by Paul. The Greek word for "saw" is "eidon," which implies not just physical sight but a deeper understanding or perception. Paul, with spiritual insight, recognizes a deviation from the gospel's truth. This highlights the importance of spiritual vigilance and discernment in maintaining doctrinal purity.

that they were not walking in line
The phrase "walking in line" comes from the Greek "orthopodeo," meaning to walk straight or uprightly. This metaphorical use suggests living in accordance with the truth. The imagery of walking is often used in Scripture to describe one's conduct or way of life. Here, it underscores the necessity of aligning one's actions with the gospel's truth, emphasizing integrity and consistency in Christian living.

with the truth of the gospel
The "truth of the gospel" is central to Paul's message. The Greek word for "truth" is "aletheia," which signifies reality as opposed to illusion. The gospel's truth is the foundational doctrine of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, free from the law's bondage. This phrase reminds believers of the unchanging and absolute nature of the gospel, which must guide all aspects of life and doctrine.

I said to Cephas
"Cephas" is the Aramaic name for Peter, meaning "rock." Paul's direct address to Peter, a leading apostle, underscores the gravity of the situation. It highlights the principle of accountability within the Christian community, where even leaders are subject to correction when deviating from the gospel's truth. This confrontation is a model of courage and commitment to truth over personal or relational comfort.

in front of them all
This public confrontation indicates the seriousness of the issue at hand. The public nature of the rebuke was necessary because Peter's actions had public implications, potentially leading others astray. It reflects the biblical principle that public sin requires public correction to prevent further harm to the community and to restore truth.

If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew
Paul points out Peter's inconsistency. The phrase "live like a Gentile" suggests adopting Gentile customs, which Peter had done by eating with Gentiles. This highlights the freedom from the law that the gospel provides. However, Peter's withdrawal from Gentile fellowship under pressure contradicted this freedom. This phrase serves as a reminder of the transformative power of the gospel, which transcends cultural and ethnic boundaries.

how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
This rhetorical question exposes the hypocrisy in Peter's actions. The Greek word for "compel" is "anagkazo," meaning to force or pressure. By withdrawing from Gentile fellowship, Peter was implicitly endorsing the idea that Gentiles must adopt Jewish customs to be fully accepted. This contradicts the gospel's message of salvation by grace through faith alone. The question challenges believers to examine their actions and ensure they align with the gospel's inclusive and liberating truth.

(14) Walked not uprightly.--This is a single word in the Greek, and found here alone in the New Testament. It means, literally, "to walk on straight feet"--i.e., erect and straightforwardly, as opposed to "shuffling."

Unto Peter before them all.--The true reading is again Cephas. The Apostle lays stress upon the publicity of his remonstrance, as showing that in his controversy with the Apostles of the circumcision he did something more than hold his own.

Being a Jew.--"Being" is here emphatic, and means, "with all the antecedents of a Jew." It is implied that a different rule must be applied to the Gentiles, with totally different antecedents.

Livest after the manner of Gentiles--i.e., in the matter of eating promiscuously with those whom the Law (or rather, the Pharisaic tradition) forbids you to eat with.

Why.--The great preponderance of MSS. is here in favour of the reading how--i.e., how does it come about that?

Compellest.--Do what you can to compel.

Verse 14. - But when I saw that they walked not uprightly (ἀλλ ὅτε εϊδον ὅτι οὐκ ὀρθοποδοῦσι); but when I saw that they were not walking rightly. The strongly adversative ἀλλὰ seems to imply: But I set myself to stem the mischief; comp. "withstood" (ver. 11). The precise force of ὀρθοποδεῖν is doubtful. The verb occurs nowhere else except in later writers, who, it is thought, borrowed it from this passage. Etymologically, according to the ambiguous meaning of ὀρθός - "straight," either vertically or horizontally - it may be either "walk up- rightly," that is, "sincerely," which, however, is an unusual application of the notion of ὀρθότης; or, "walk straight onward," that is, "rightly." As the apostle is more concerned on behalf of the truth which he was contending for than on behalf of their sincerity or consistency, the latter seems the preferable view. Compare the force of the same adjective in ὀρθοβατεῖν ὀρθοπραγεῖν, ὀρθοδρομεῖν ὀρθοτομεῖν, etc. According to the truth of the gospel (πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ αὐαγγελίου); with an eye to the truth of the gospel. Πρός, "with an eye towards," may refer to the truth of the gospel, either as a rule for one's direction (as in 2 Corinthians 5:10, Πρὸς α{ ἔπραξεν) or as a thing to be forwarded (cf. Ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀγηθείας, 2 Corinthians 13:8). The same ambiguity attaches to the use of the preposition in Luke 12:47. The "truth of the gospel," as in ver. 5, is the truth which the gospel embodies, with especial reference to the doctrine of justification by faith. Peter and Barnabas were acting in a manner which both was inconsistent with their holding of that truth, and contravened its advancement in the world. I said unto Peter (εϊπον τῷ Κηφᾶ [Receptus, Πέτρῳ]); I said to Cephas. Here again we are to read Cephas. Before them all (ἔμπροσθεν πάντων). At some general meeting of the Antiochian brethren. Both the expression and St. Paul's proceeding are illustrated by 1 Timothy 5:20, "Them who sin [sc. of the elders] reprove in the sight of all (ἐνώπιον πάντων ἔλεγχε)." If thou, being a Jew (εἰ σύ Ἰουδαῖος ὑπάρχων); if thou, originally a Jew, as thou art. ὘πάρχων, as distinguished from ὤν, denotes this, together with a reference to subsequent action starting from this foregoing condition. Compare, for example, its use in Galatians 1:14; Philippians 2:6. This distinctive shade of meaning is not always discernible. Livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews (ἐθνικῶς ζῇς καὶ οὐκ Ἰουδαι'κῶς); livest as do the Gentiles and not as the Jews. In what sense, and to what extent, were these words true of St. Peter? When, in the vision at Joppa, unclean animals together with clean were offered to him for food, he had answered, "Not so, Lord; for! have never eaten anything that is common and unclean." This shows that, up to that time, the personal teachings of Christ when he was upon earth had not relieved his mind of the sense that to use certain kinds of meat was for him an unlawful thing. The heavenly rejoinder, "What God hath cleansed, make not thou common," appears to have been understood by him with reference, at least in the first instance, to human beings (Acts 10:28). There seems to be no doubt that the habit of mind generated by long subjection to the Levitical Law. producing repugnance to Gentiles as habitually using unclean meats, he brought with him when crossing Cornelius's threshold; and that it is quite supposable that, in "eating with Gentiles" while his visit to Cornelius continued, he had had no occasion to break through those barriers of restriction which the Law of itself imposed. But, on the other hand, it is also quite supposable that the answer made to him in the vision had, if not at once, at least later, led him on to the further conviction that God had now made all kinds of meat lawful for a Christian's use, although, when consorting, as in the main he had to do, with Jews, he would still bow to the Levitical restrictions. The Petrine Gospel of St. Mark appears, according to the now by many accepted reading of καθαρίζων in the text of Mark 7:19, to have stated that Christ in teaching, "Whatsoever from without goeth into the man, it cannot defile him," had said this, "making all meats clean." There is no question that in St. Paul's own view at that epoch of his ministry when he wrote this Epistle, "nothing," to use his own words, "is unclean of itself" (Romans 14:14; 1 Corinthians 10:23, 25); and we have no reason to doubt that he had "been in the Lord Jesus persuaded" of this long before, - at the very outset probably of his ministry. It is, therefore, not unlikely that this same persuasion of the real indifferency of all kinds of meat had been by Christ instilled into St. Peter's mind as well. But if it were thus in respect to the use of meats, it would be thus also in reference to all other kinds of purely ceremonial restriction. Very shortly before these occurrences at Antioch, St. Peter had at Jerusalem openly and strongly expressed the feeling which he experienced, how intolerably galling were the restraints imposed by the Levitical, not to say by the rabbinical, ceremonialism; "a yoke," he said, "which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear " - language which seems to betoken a mind which had spiritually been set at liberty from the yoke. On the whole, the inference naturally suggested by St. Paul's words, "Thou livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews," commends itself as the true one; namely this - that St. Peter, not on that occasion only, but also on others, when thrown into contact with masses of Gentile converts, was wont to assert his Christian liberty; that, like as St. Paul did, so did he: while, on the one hand, to the Jews he became as a Jew, to them under the Law as under the Law, that he might gain the Jews, gain them that were under the Law, so also, on the other, to them that were without Law he became as without Law, that he might gain also them (1 Corinthians 9:20, 21). Why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? (πῶς [Receptus, τί] τὰ ἔθνη ἀναγκάζεις Ἰουδαί'ζειν;). In place of τί, why, recent editions read, πῶς, how, which is a more emphatic interrogatory with a tinge of wonderment; as if it were, "How is it possible that?' (so 1 Corinthians 15:12). The verb "Judaize" occurs in the Septuagint of Esther 8:17, "And many of the Gentiles had themselves circumcised and Judaized (ἰουδάι'ζον) by reason of their fear of the Jews." It is plainly equivalent to ἰουδαι'κῶς ζῇν. Compellest, i.e. settest thyself to compel. The "compulsion" applied by Cephas was a moral compulsion; he was, in effect, withholding front them Christian fellowship, unless they Judaized. Put into words, his conduct said this: "If you will Judaize, I will hold fellowship with you; if you will not, you are not qualified for full fraternal recognition from me." The withholding of Christian fraternization, short of formal Church excommunication such as 1 Corinthians 5:3-5, is a powerful engine of Christian influence, the use of which is distinctly authorized and even commanded in Scripture (Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14; 2 Timothy 3:5; Titus 3:10 2John 10), and may on occasion be employed by private Christians on their own responsibility. But its use, when not clearly justified, is not only a cruelty to our brethren, but an outrage upon what St. Paul here calls the truth of the gospel. It is at our peril that we grieve, by a cold or unbrotherly bearing towards him, one whom we have reason to believe God has "received" (Romans 14:3; Romans 15:7). If God in Christ owns and loves him as a son, we ought to frankly own and love him as a brother.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
When
ὅτε (hote)
Adverb
Strong's 3753: When, at which time. From hos and te; at which too, i.e. When.

I saw
εἶδον (eidon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

they were not walking in line
ὀρθοποδοῦσιν (orthopodousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3716: From a compound of orthos and pous; to be straight-footed, i.e. to go directly forward.

with
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

truth
ἀλήθειαν (alētheian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 225: From alethes; truth.

of the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

gospel,
εὐαγγελίου (euangeliou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 2098: From the same as euaggelizo; a good message, i.e. The gospel.

I said
εἶπον (eipon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

to Cephas
Κηφᾷ (Kēpha)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2786: Of Chaldee origin; the Rock; Cephas, a surname of Peter.

in front of
ἔμπροσθεν (emprosthen)
Preposition
Strong's 1715: From en and pros; in front of (literally or figuratively) or time).

[them] all,
πάντων (pantōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

“If
Εἰ (Ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

you,
σὺ (sy)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

who are
ὑπάρχων (hyparchōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5225: To begin, am, exist, be in possession. From hupo and archomai; to begin under, i.e. Come into existence; expletively, to exist (verb).

a Jew,
Ἰουδαῖος (Ioudaios)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

live
ζῇς (zēs)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2198: To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.

like a Gentile
ἐθνικῶς (ethnikōs)
Adverb
Strong's 1483: In the manner of Gentiles, like the rest of the world. Adverb from ethnikos; as a Gentile.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

like a Jew,
Ἰουδαϊκῶς (Ioudaikōs)
Adverb
Strong's 2452: In the manner of Jews (religiously, ceremonially). Adverb from Ioudaikos; Judaically or in a manner resembling a Judaean.

how
πῶς (pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

can you compel
ἀναγκάζεις (anankazeis)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 315: To force, compel, constrain, urge. From anagke; to necessitate.

the
τὰ (ta)
Article - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Gentiles
ἔθνη (ethnē)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1484: Probably from etho; a race, i.e. A tribe; specially, a foreign one.

to live like Jews?
ἰουδαΐζειν (ioudaizein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 2450: To live as a Jew (in religion, ceremonially). From Ioudaios; to become a Judaean, i.e. 'Judaize'.


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NT Letters: Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that they didn't (Gal. Ga)
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