Galatians 1 18

Galatians 1:18 kjv

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Galatians 1:18 nkjv

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.

Galatians 1:18 niv

Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days.

Galatians 1:18 esv

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.

Galatians 1:18 nlt

Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days.

Galatians 1 verses

Galatians 1 18 Meaning

Galatians 1:18 describes the apostle Paul's initial contact with the established leadership in Jerusalem after a significant period following his conversion. Paul states that three years after his transformative encounter with Christ, he traveled to Jerusalem with the specific, limited purpose of "seeing" Peter, the leading apostle. His stay there was brief, lasting only fifteen days. This detail is presented by Paul to emphasize that his gospel message and apostolic authority did not originate from or depend on human teaching or validation from the existing apostles in Jerusalem but rather directly from a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1 18 Context

Galatians is a fiery letter written by Paul to the churches in Galatia, who were being swayed by Judaizers—teachers asserting that Gentile believers must also observe the Mosaic Law, including circumcision, to be fully righteous. To counter this distortion of the gospel, Paul dedicates the initial chapters of Galatians to defending the divine origin of his apostleship and his gospel. He argues vehemently that his message of salvation through faith in Christ alone, apart from the works of the law, was received directly from Jesus Christ through revelation, not from any human source or by way of instruction from the apostles in Jerusalem. This verse, Galatians 1:18, serves as crucial evidence in his chronological argument. Following his conversion and a period of initial ministry in Arabia and Damascus (Gal. 1:16-17), Paul highlights that his first visit to Jerusalem occurred a significant "three years" later, and his interaction with the principal apostle, Peter, was explicitly limited in purpose and duration ("to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days"). This strategic detail proves he did not immediately seek out or rely on the Jerusalem apostles for his message, thereby strengthening his claim of independent, divine authority.

Galatians 1 18 Word analysis

• Then after three years: "Ἔπειτα" (Epeita - "then," "thereafter"). "τρία ἔτη" (tria ete - "three years"). This precise temporal marker is vital to Paul's argument. It establishes a significant time gap following his conversion, emphasizing that he did not immediately seek instruction or validation from the Jerusalem apostles. The "three years" is widely understood by scholars to encompass his initial post-conversion activities, possibly including his time in Arabia and Damascus, before this visit. It underscores a period of independent, divinely guided ministry.
• I went up: "Ἀνῆλθον" (Anelthon - "I went up"). This signifies a physical ascent, as Jerusalem is geographically elevated. Metaphorically, it implies a journey to the center of Jewish Christianity. Paul's own deliberate choice to travel signifies purpose, not submission.
• to Jerusalem: The city was the heart of Judaism and the nascent Christian movement, where the first apostles resided. Paul's delayed and brief visit here reinforces his independence from the perceived central authority.
• to see Peter: "ἱστορῆσαι Πέτρον" (historēsai Petron). This is a crucial phrase. The Greek verb "historēsai" is distinct from verbs meaning "to learn from" or "to receive instruction." It means "to become acquainted with," "to make a visit to get information by looking at/investigating," or "to inspect." It suggests a mutual visit to verify the authenticity of Paul's work and perhaps to recognize one another as fellow apostles, rather than Paul seeking to be taught or vetted. It was not a student-teacher relationship.
• and remained with him: "ἐπέμεινα πρὸς αὐτόν" (epemeina pros auton). "Epemeina" means "I remained," "I abode with." "Pros auton" implies direct association or staying at his lodging. This indicates close proximity, yet the limited duration negates extensive instruction.
• fifteen days: "ἡμέρας δεκαπέντε" (hēmeras dekatapente). This exceptionally short period serves Paul's argument perfectly. Fifteen days is insufficient time for deep theological instruction or an apprenticeship. It underlines that his visit was for personal acquaintance and mutual recognition, not for receiving or validating his gospel, which he already possessed by direct revelation from Christ.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem": This segment firmly establishes the chronological distance between Paul's conversion and his first interaction with the Jerusalem apostles. The deliberate wait and subsequent personal journey ("I went up") emphasize that Paul did not rush to human authorities for instruction or validation. This chronology directly supports his claim that his gospel message and authority originated independently, directly from Christ. It strongly counters any insinuation that he was initially taught or approved by the established leaders in Jerusalem, a common claim of the Judaizers he was opposing.
• "to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days": This phrase pinpoints the precise purpose and the exceedingly brief duration of Paul's visit. The verb "to see" (historēsai) highlights a mutual recognition or an observational encounter rather than a submissive learning process. The concise "fifteen days" provides irrefutable evidence that this period was far too short to impart comprehensive theological training or to be the source of Paul's profound understanding of the gospel. Together, these details emphatically confirm that Paul's gospel was neither inherited nor approved by human agency but was instead the direct outcome of divine revelation.

Galatians 1 18 Bonus section

• The chronological details in Galatians 1 are pivotal for understanding Paul's apologetic. Scholars often reconcile Paul's account with Luke's in Acts 9:26-30 by noting that Paul's highly selective focus is purely on demonstrating the independence of his apostolic call and gospel message from any human authority in Jerusalem. While Acts mentions Barnabas introducing him to "the apostles" generally, Paul in Galatians specifies who he actually had a meaningful interaction with (Peter and later James, Gal. 1:19) and for how long. Paul is not writing a complete biography, but an argument against a specific false teaching.
• The uniqueness of "historēsai" (ἱστορῆσαι) in the New Testament to this verse emphasizes its specific connotation. Paul used a verb that perfectly conveys that he went to gain first-hand knowledge or personal acquaintance rather than to be instructed or commissioned by Peter, further validating his self-declaration as an apostle "not from men nor through man" (Gal. 1:1).

Galatians 1 18 Commentary

Galatians 1:18 is a meticulously chosen piece of autobiographical evidence provided by Paul to defend the divine origin and complete independence of his gospel message against the Judaizing agitators. Paul's opponents sought to undermine his apostolic authority and insist that Gentile converts adhere to Mosaic Law by suggesting Paul was either not a true apostle or derived his message secondhand from the original apostles in Jerusalem. Paul counters by strategically detailing his movements: a three-year interval after his Damascus Road experience before any contact with Jerusalem. During this time, he was already preaching a divinely revealed gospel. When he finally went "up to Jerusalem," it was not to submit to authority, undergo training, or receive his message, but "to see" (historēsai) Peter—a unique Greek verb implying making acquaintance, investigating, or discerning, rather than formal discipleship. The brevity of his stay, a mere "fifteen days," further bolsters his claim, as it was demonstrably insufficient for any extensive theological instruction or approval from the Jerusalem apostles. This verse, therefore, powerfully reinforces Paul's central argument that his gospel came "through a revelation of Jesus Christ" (Gal. 1:12), making him equal in authority to the other apostles and upholding the purity of salvation by grace through faith alone, apart from the Law.