^2:9and when James, Cephas,²⁹ and John, who had a reputation as³⁰ pillars,³¹ recognized³² the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me³³ the right hand of fellowship, agreeing³⁴ that we would go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.³⁵ ^2:10They requested³⁶ only that we remember the poor, the very thing I also was eager to do.

Paul Rebukes Peter

^2:11But when Cephas³⁷ came to Antioch,³⁸ I opposed him to his face, because he had clearly done wrong.³⁹ ^2:12Until⁴⁰ certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this⁴¹ and separated himself⁴² because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision.⁴³ ^2:13And the rest of the Jews also joined with him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray with them⁴⁴ by their hypocrisy.

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Footnotes

29 Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211).
30 Or “who were influential as,” or “who were reputed to be.” See also the note on the word “influential” in .
31 Pillars is figurative here for those like James, Peter, and John who were leaders in the Jerusalem church.
32 The participle γνόντες (gnontes) has been taken temporally. It is structurally parallel to the participle translated “when they saw” in v. 7.
33 Grk “me and Barnabas.”
34 Grk “so,” with the ἵνα (hina) indicating the result of the “pillars” extending the “right hand of fellowship,” but the translation “they gave … the right hand of fellowship so that we would go” could be misunderstood as purpose here. The implication of the scene is that an agreement, outlined at the end of v. 10, was reached between Paul and Barnabas on the one hand and the “pillars” of the Jerusalem church on the other.
35 Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.
36 Grk “only that we remember the poor”; the words “They requested” have been supplied from the context to make a complete English sentence.
37 Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211).
38 For location see ; ; ; .
39 Grk “because he stood condemned.”
40 The conjunction γάρ has not been translated here.
41 Grk “he drew back.” If ἑαυτόν (heauton) goes with both ὑπέστελλεν (hupestellen) and ἀφώριζεν (aphōrizen) rather than only the latter, the meaning would be “he drew himself back” (see ὑποστέλλω 1.a).
42 Or “and held himself aloof.”
43 Grk “the [ones] of the circumcision,” that is, the group of Jewish Christians who insisted on circumcision of Gentiles before they could become Christians.
44 The words “with them” are a reflection of the σύν- (sun-) prefix on the verb συναπήχθη (sunapēchthē; see L&N 31.76).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 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. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

James, Cephas 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. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

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

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When James, Cephas, and John—those recognized as pillars—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I had made every effort to do.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. 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. Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

NLTNew Living Translation

In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.

But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 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. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

and when James and Cephas and John—those thought to be pillars—acknowledged the grace given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, in order that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision. They asked only that we should remember the poor, the very thing I was also eager to do.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was condemned. 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, and the rest of the Jews also joined in this hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with them in their hypocrisy.

KJV 1900King James Version

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 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. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

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