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THE MESSAGE

Galatians 2:12

This verse is not available in the MSG!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Antioch;   Cowardice;   Hypocrisy;   James;   Opinion, Public;   Scofield Reference Index - Faith;   Thompson Chain Reference - Courage-Fear;   Fear;   Fear of Man;   Instability;   Prejudice;   Racial Prejudice;   Steadfastness-Instability;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Circumcision;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Eating;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Antioch in syria;   Barnabas;   Courage;   Fear;   Galatians, letter to the;   James the brother of jesus;   Law;   Mission;   Paul;   Peter;   Pharisees;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Christ, Christology;   Judaizers;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Church;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Antioch;   Peter;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Antioch;   Canticles;   ;   Church;   Galatians, the Epistle to the;   Gospels;   Hebrews, the Epistle to the;   James;   Key;   Mark, John;   Peter;   Tradition;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Galatians, Letter to the;   Hypocrisy;   Keys of the Kingdom;   Romans, Book of;   1 Peter;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Antioch;   Church;   Council;   Galatians, Epistle to the;   Jude, Epistle of;   Law;   Peter;   Pharisees;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Antioch ;   Barnabas ;   Boyhood of Jesus;   Brethren of the Lord (2);   Church;   Excommunication;   Galatians Epistle to the;   Gentiles;   Heathen;   Hypocrisy ;   James, the Lord's Brother;   Law;   Life and Death;   Peter;   Timothy;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - James, Son of Alphaeus;   James, the Lord's Brother;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Antioch;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Paul;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Antioch;   Peter;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Apostolic Age;   Chronology of the New Testament;   Galatians, Epistle to the;   James;   James, Epistle of;   Peter, Simon;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - James;   New Testament;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 3;  

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
Legacy Standard Bible
For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he began to shrink back and separate himself, fearing the party of the circumcision.
Simplified Cowboy Version
When he first got there, he'd eat with everyone, even those without their pickles clipped. But some friends of James showed up and Pete wouldn't eat with the outsiders anymore. He didn't want to rock the boat with those who believed circumcision was necessary for salvation.
Bible in Basic English
For before certain men came from James, he did take food with the Gentiles: but when they came, he went back and made himself separate, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
Darby Translation
for before that certain came from James, he ate with [those of] the nations; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those of [the] circumcision;
Christian Standard Bible®
For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.
World English Bible
For before some people came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For before certain men came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision.
Weymouth's New Testament
For until certain persons came from James he had been accustomed to eat with Gentiles; but as soon as these persons came, he withdrew and separated himself for fear of the Circumcision party.
King James Version (1611)
For before that certaine came from Iames, he did eate with the Gentiles: but when they were come, hee withdrew, and separated himselfe, fearing them which were of the Circumcisio.
Literal Translation
For before some came from James, he ate with the nations. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, being afraid of those of the circumcision.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For afore there came certayne from Iames, he ate with the Heythe. But wha they were come, he withdrue and separated himselfe, fearinge the which were of the circumcision.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for till certain Jews came thither from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, for fear of those, who were for circumcision:
Amplified Bible
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.
American Standard Version
For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision.
Revised Standard Version
For before certain men came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For yerr that certayne came fro Iames he ate with the gentyls. But when they were come he withdrue and separated him selfe fearinge them which were of ye circumcision.
Update Bible Version
For before some came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those that were of the circumcision.
Webster's Bible Translation
For before that certain came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles: but when they had come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them who were of the circumcision.
Young's Literal Translation
for before the coming of certain from James, with the nations he was eating, and when they came, he was withdrawing and separating himself, fearing those of the circumcision,
New Century Version
Peter ate with the non-Jewish people until some Jewish people sent from James came to Antioch. When they arrived, Peter stopped eating with those who weren't Jewish, and he separated himself from them. He was afraid of the Jews.
New English Translation
Until certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision.
Berean Standard Bible
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, for fear of those in the circumcision group.
Contemporary English Version
He used to eat with Gentile followers of the Lord, until James sent some Jewish followers. Peter was afraid of the Jews and soon stopped eating with Gentiles.
Complete Jewish Bible
For prior to the arrival of certain people from [the community headed by] Ya‘akov, he had been eating with the Gentile believers; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of the faction who favored circumcising Gentile believers.
English Standard Version
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For before that certaine came fro Iames, he ate with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew & separated himselfe, fearing them which were of the Circumcision.
George Lamsa Translation
For before certain men came from James, Cephas ate with the Gentiles: but after they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of them who belonged to the circumcision.
Hebrew Names Version
For before some people came from Ya`akov, he ate with the Goyim. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
International Standard Version
For until some men came from James, he was in the habit of eating with the Gentiles, but after they came he drew back and would not associate himself with them, being afraid of the circumcision party.Acts 10:28; 11:3;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
For until certain men came from Jakub, he had eaten with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew himself and separated, because he was afraid of those who were of the circumcision.
Murdock Translation
For before certain ones came from James, he ate with the Gentiles: but when they came, he withdrew himself, and separated; because he was afraid of them of the circumcision.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision.
New Life Bible
Peter had been eating with the people who are not Jews. But after some men came who had been with James, he kept away from them. He was afraid of those who believe in the religious act of becoming a Jew.
English Revised Version
For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision.
New Revised Standard
for until certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But after they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, before that certain came from James, with them of the nations, used he to eat; whereas, when they came, he used to withdraw, and keep himself separate, fearing them of the circumcision;
Douay-Rheims Bible
For before that some came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them who were of the circumcision.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
For before certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of those who were of the circumcision,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For yer yt certaine came from Iames, he dyd eate with the gentiles: But whe they were come, he withdrue, and seperated himselfe, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
Easy-to-Read Version
This is what happened: When Peter first came to Antioch, he ate and associated with the non-Jewish people. But when some Jewish men came from James, Peter separated himself from the non-Jews. He stopped eating with them, because he was afraid of the Jews who believe that all non-Jewish people must be circumcised.
New American Standard Bible
For prior to the coming of some men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, fearing those from the circumcision.
Good News Translation
Before some men who had been sent by James arrived there, Peter had been eating with the Gentile believers. But after these men arrived, he drew back and would not eat with the Gentiles, because he was afraid of those who were in favor of circumcising them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For bifor that ther camen summen fro James, he eete with the hethene men; but whanne thei weren comun, he withdrowy, and departide hym, dredinge hem that weren of circumcisioun.

Contextual Overview

11Later, when Peter came to Antioch, I had a face-to-face confrontation with him because he was clearly out of line. Here's the situation. Earlier, before certain persons had come from James, Peter regularly ate with the non-Jews. But when that conservative group came from Jerusalem, he cautiously pulled back and put as much distance as he could manage between himself and his non-Jewish friends. That's how fearful he was of the conservative Jewish clique that's been pushing the old system of circumcision. Unfortunately, the rest of the Jews in the Antioch church joined in that hypocrisy so that even Barnabas was swept along in the charade. 14 But when I saw that they were not maintaining a steady, straight course according to the Message, I spoke up to Peter in front of them all: "If you, a Jew, live like a non-Jew when you're not being observed by the watchdogs from Jerusalem, what right do you have to require non-Jews to conform to Jewish customs just to make a favorable impression on your old Jerusalem cronies?" 15We Jews know that we have no advantage of birth over "non-Jewish sinners." We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it—and we had the best system of rules the world has ever seen! Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good. 17Have some of you noticed that we are not yet perfect? (No great surprise, right?) And are you ready to make the accusation that since people like me, who go through Christ in order to get things right with God, aren't perfectly virtuous, Christ must therefore be an accessory to sin? The accusation is frivolous. If I was "trying to be good," I would be rebuilding the same old barn that I tore down. I would be acting as a charlatan. 19What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

certain: Galatians 2:9, Acts 21:18-25

he did: Acts 10:28, Acts 11:3, Ephesians 2:15, Ephesians 2:19-22, Ephesians 3:6

he withdrew: Isaiah 65:5, Luke 15:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:22

fearing: Proverbs 29:25, Isaiah 57:11, Matthew 26:69-75

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:13 - thou Genesis 20:2 - said 1 Samuel 21:2 - The king 2 Kings 10:29 - made Israel Ecclesiastes 10:1 - a little Luke 5:38 - General John 7:13 - spake Acts 10:15 - What Acts 11:2 - they Acts 12:17 - James Acts 15:1 - certain Acts 15:13 - James Acts 21:24 - but Romans 14:2 - that 1 Corinthians 5:11 - or a drunkard 1 Corinthians 9:21 - them Galatians 2:14 - If thou Galatians 2:18 - General Colossians 2:16 - judge James 1:1 - James

Cross-References

Exodus 39:13
Fourth row: beryl, onyx, jasper. The stones were mounted in a gold filigree. The twelve stones corresponded to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve names engraved as on a seal, one for each of the twelve tribes.
Numbers 11:7
Manna was a seedlike substance with a shiny appearance like resin. The people went around collecting it and ground it between stones or pounded it fine in a mortar. Then they boiled it in a pot and shaped it into cakes. It tasted like a delicacy cooked in olive oil. When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna was right there with it.
Ezekiel 28:13
The Money Has Gone to Your Head God's Message came to me, "Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, ‘This is what God , the Master, says: "‘Your heart is proud, going around saying, "I'm a god. I sit on God's divine throne, ruling the sea"— You, a mere mortal, not even close to being a god, A mere mortal trying to be a god. Look, you think you're smarter than Daniel. No enigmas can stump you. Your sharp intelligence made you world-wealthy. You piled up gold and silver in your banks. You used your head well, worked good deals, made a lot of money. But the money has gone to your head, swelled your head—what a big head! "‘Therefore, God , the Master, says: "‘Because you're acting like a god, pretending to be a god, I'm giving fair warning: I'm bringing strangers down on you, the most vicious of all nations. They'll pull their swords and make hash of your reputation for knowing it all. They'll puncture the balloon of your god-pretensions. They'll bring you down from your self-made pedestal and bury you in the deep blue sea. Will you protest to your assassins, "You can't do that! I'm a god"? To them you're a mere mortal. They're killing a man, not a god. You'll die like a stray dog, killed by strangers— Because I said so. Decree of God , the Master.'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, raise a funeral song over the king of Tyre. Tell him, A Message from God , the Master: "You had everything going for you. You were in Eden, God's garden. You were dressed in splendor, your robe studded with jewels: Carnelian, peridot, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald, all in settings of engraved gold. A robe was prepared for you the same day you were created. You were the anointed cherub. I placed you on the mountain of God. You strolled in magnificence among the stones of fire. From the day of your creation you were sheer perfection... and then imperfection—evil!—was detected in you. In much buying and selling you turned violent, you sinned! I threw you, disgraced, off the mountain of God. I threw you out—you, the anointed angel-cherub. No more strolling among the gems of fire for you! Your beauty went to your head. You corrupted wisdom by using it to get worldly fame. I threw you to the ground, sent you sprawling before an audience of kings and let them gloat over your demise. By sin after sin after sin, by your corrupt ways of doing business, you defiled your holy places of worship. So I set a fire around and within you. It burned you up. I reduced you to ashes. All anyone sees now when they look for you is ashes, a pitiful mound of ashes. All who once knew you now throw up their hands: ‘This can't have happened! This has happened!'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, confront Sidon. Preach against it. Say, ‘Message from God , the Master: "‘Look! I'm against you, Sidon. I intend to be known for who I truly am among you.' They'll know that I am God when I set things right and reveal my holy presence. I'll order an epidemic of disease there, along with murder and mayhem in the streets. People will drop dead right and left, as war presses in from every side. Then they'll realize that I mean business, that I am God . "No longer will Israel have to put up with their thistle-and-thorn neighbors Who have treated them so contemptuously. And they also will realize that I am God ." God , the Master, says, "When I gather Israel from the peoples among whom they've been scattered and put my holiness on display among them with all the nations looking on, then they'll live in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. They'll live there in safety. They'll build houses. They'll plant vineyards, living in safety. Meanwhile, I'll bring judgment on all the neighbors who have treated them with such contempt. And they'll realize that I am God ."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For before that certain came from James,.... The Lord's brother, mentioned before with Cephas and John, who resided at Jerusalem, from whence these persons came; and who are said to come from James, because they came from the place and church where he was, though, it may be, not sent by him, nor with his knowledge. They were such as professed faith in Christ; they were "judaizing" Christians believing in Christ, but were zealous of the law. Now before the coming of these persons to Antioch,

he, Peter,

did eat with the Gentiles; which is to be understood, not of eating at the Lord's table with them, but at their own tables: he knew that the distinction of meats was now laid aside, and that nothing was common and unclean of itself, and that every creature of God was good, and not to be refused if received with thankfulness; wherefore he made use of his Christian liberty, and ate such food dressed in such manner as the Gentiles did, without any regard to the laws and ceremonies of the Jews; and in this he did well, for hereby he declared his sense of things, that the ceremonial law was abolished, that not only the Gentiles are not obliged to it, but even the Jews were freed from it, and that the observance of it was far from being necessary to salvation: all which agreed with the preaching and practice of the Apostle Paul, and served greatly to confirm the same, and for this he was to be commended: nor is this mentioned by way of blame, but for the sake of what follows, which was blameworthy:

but when they were come he withdrew and separated himself; not from the church, and the communion of it, for then he had been guilty of schism, but from private conversation with the Gentiles: he did not visit them in their own houses, and sit down at table and eat with them, as he was wont to do; which argued great inconstancy and instability, very unbecoming one that seemed to be, and was a pillar in the church of God, as well as much dissimulation, for he knew better than he acted; his conduct did not agree with the true sentiments of his mind, which he covered and dissembled; and which must be very staggering to the believing Gentiles, to see so great a man behave in such a manner towards them, as if they were persons not fit to converse with, and as if the observance of Jewish rites and ceremonies was necessary to salvation. What induced him to take such a step was, his

fearing them which were of the circumcision: that is, the circumcised Jews, who professed faith in Christ, and were just now come from Jerusalem; not that he feared any danger from them; that they would abuse his person, or take away his life; but he might either fear he should come under their censure and reproofs, as he formerly had for going to Cornelius, and eating with him and his; or lest that they should be offended with him, and carry back an ill report of him, as not acting up to his character as an apostle of the circumcision. This led him into such a conduct; so true is that of the wise man, that "the fear of man bringeth a snare", Proverbs 29:25.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For 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 course which they pursued; but the sense of the whole passage is, that James was a leading man at Jerusalem, and that the rites of Moses were observed there. When they came down to Antioch, they of course observed those rites, and insisted that others should do it also. It is very evident that at Jerusalem the special rites of the Jews were observed for a long time by those who became Christian converts. They would not at once cease to observe them, and thus needlessly shock the prejudices of their countrymen; see the notes at Acts 21:21-25.

He did eat with the Gentiles - Peter had been taught that in the remarkable vision which he saw as recorded in Acts 10:0. He had learned that God designed to break down the wall of partition between the Jews and the Gentiles, and he familiarly associated with them, and partook with them of their food. He evidently disregarded the special laws of the Jews about meats and drinks, and partook of the common food which was in use among the Gentiles. Thus he showed his belief that all the race was henceforward to be regarded as on a level, and that the special institutions of the Jews were not to be considered as binding, or to be imposed on others.

But when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself - He withdrew from the Gentiles, and probably from the Gentile converts to Christianity. The reason why he did this is stated. He feared those who were of the circumcision, or who had been Jews. Whether they demanded this of him; whether they encountered him in debate; or whether he silently separated himself from the Gentiles without their having said anything to him, is unknown. But he feared the effect of their opposition; he feared their reproaches; he feared the report which would be made to those at Jerusalem; and perhaps he apprehended that a tumult would be excited and a persecution commenced at Antioch by the Jews who resided there. This is a melancholy illustration of Peter’s characteristic trait of mind. We see in this act the same Peter who trembled when he began to sink in the waves; the same Peter who denied his Lord. Bold, ardent, zealous, and forward; he was at the same time timid and often irresolute; and he often had occasion for the deepest humility, and the most poignant regrets at the errors of his course. No one can read his history without loving his ardent and sincere attachment to his Master; and yet no one can read it without a tear of regret that he was left thus to do injury to his cause. No man loved the Saviour more sincerely than he did, yet his constitutional timidity and irresolutehess of character often led him to courses of life suited deeply to wound his cause.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 12. Before 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 all commerce with the converted Gentiles, and acted as if he himself believed the law to be still in force, and that the distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles should still be kept up.


 
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