Galatians 2:1-10
The Gospel for the Gentiles
1Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.
2I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain.
3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
4This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.
5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
6But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me.
7On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
8For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.
9And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
10They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
Berean Standard Bible
After fourteen years, Paul went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus. He went in response to a revelation and set before the leaders the gospel he was preaching among the Gentiles. He says he did this privately with those who seemed to be leaders, not because he doubted Christ's gospel, but because the unity of the church mattered.
Titus was a Greek, yet he was not compelled to be circumcised. Some false brothers had slipped in to spy on the freedom believers have in Christ Jesus and to bring them into slavery. Paul says the church did not yield to them for a moment, so the truth of the gospel could remain with the Galatians.
The people who seemed to be leaders added nothing to Paul's message. They recognized that Paul had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised. The same God was at work in both ministries.
James, Cephas, and John gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship. They agreed that Paul should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Their only request was that Paul remember the poor, the very thing he was eager to do.
The scene combines conviction and cooperation. Paul will not surrender the freedom Christ gives, but he also does not confuse independence with faithfulness. The gospel creates a church in which different servants share one mission and remember people in need.
How We Know
Acts 15 describes the Jerusalem council, where apostles and elders considered whether Gentile believers had to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. The council rejected that burden and sent a shared decision to the churches.
Galatians gives a personal view of the same kind of conflict. The names, the question about circumcision, and the concern for Gentile believers fit the public decision recorded in Acts, while Paul emphasizes how the gospel's truth was protected.
Questions
1 Why did Paul present his gospel to the Jerusalem leaders?
AnswerHe did so in response to a revelation and to establish that the message he preached among the Gentiles agreed with the gospel recognized by the church.
2 What happened with Titus, who was a Greek?
AnswerTitus was not compelled to be circumcised. His treatment showed that Gentile believers were not required to adopt a Jewish boundary marker to belong to Christ.
3 What did the recognized leaders add to Paul's message?
AnswerThey added nothing to it. They recognized that God had entrusted Paul with the Gentile mission just as Peter served the circumcised.
4 What did the leaders ask Paul to remember?
AnswerThey asked him to remember the poor, and Paul says this was the very thing he was eager to do.
What This Means for Us
Healthy cooperation does not require surrendering the gospel's freedom, and strong conviction does not require despising other servants. Paul and the Jerusalem leaders shared responsibility without pretending that every assignment or audience was identical.
The poor are not an afterthought in the agreement. Any church that argues about boundaries while forgetting people in need has missed a clear part of the apostolic concern.
Prayer
Lord, keep Your church united around the truth of Christ. Give us courage to resist burdens You have not given, humility to cooperate with other servants, and eagerness to remember the poor. Amen.