Galatians 2 1

Galatians 2:1 kjv

Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

Galatians 2:1 nkjv

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.

Galatians 2:1 niv

Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also.

Galatians 2:1 esv

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.

Galatians 2:1 nlt

Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too.

Galatians 2 verses

Galatians 2 1 Meaning

Galatians 2:1 states that "Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also." This verse marks a significant chronological point in Paul's apostolic ministry, detailing a second important visit to Jerusalem. Paul, accompanied by Barnabas and the Gentile convert Titus, went to Jerusalem for a crucial meeting. The timing and companions chosen were pivotal in demonstrating the divine origin and authenticity of Paul's gospel, particularly concerning the inclusion of Gentiles without requiring circumcision, a core issue in the book of Galatians. This journey underscored his independence from human authority while affirming his gospel's alignment with the Jerusalem apostles.

Galatians 2 1 Context

Galatians 2:1 immediately follows Paul's intensely personal and argumentative account in Chapter 1, where he defends the divine origin and authenticity of his gospel. In Chapter 1, Paul asserts that his apostleship and the gospel he preaches were not received from human instruction or tradition but through direct revelation from Jesus Christ. He recounted his initial visit to Jerusalem after three years of ministry, seeing only Peter and James, emphasizing his independent work.

Chapter 2 continues this narrative, detailing a subsequent, critically important visit to Jerusalem. This visit, as scholars widely agree, is likely the event described in Acts 15 (often referred to as the Jerusalem Council), though some debate whether it might correspond to the famine relief visit in Acts 11. Regardless, Paul's purpose in recounting it here is specific: to demonstrate that his Gentile-inclusive gospel was recognized and affirmed by the "pillar apostles" (Peter, James, and John) in Jerusalem without imposing the requirement of circumcision or other Mosaic Law rituals on Gentile converts. This counters the claims of the Judaizers who were unsettling the Galatian churches by insisting that Gentile believers must be circumcised to be truly saved. By bringing Titus, an uncircumcised Gentile, Paul presents living evidence for his position and tests the agreement reached with the Jerusalem leadership, which becomes clear in the following verses.

Galatians 2 1 Word analysis

• Then (Ἔπειτα - Epeita): A Greek adverb indicating a temporal succession or a subsequent step in an argument. It signals a shift from the immediate post-conversion events in Galatians 1 to a later, pivotal encounter. Its placement emphasizes the sequential nature of Paul's experiences and ministry, bolstering his chronological defense against the false teachers.
• after fourteen years (δεκατεσσάρων ἐτῶν - dekatessarōn etōn): This specific time marker is crucial. The starting point for these "fourteen years" is debated: either from Paul's conversion or from his first visit to Jerusalem mentioned in Galatians 1:18. Regardless of the exact start date, the long duration underscores Paul's lengthy period of independent ministry since his conversion, establishing that his gospel and apostolic authority did not originate from human apostles in Jerusalem but directly from Christ. This span highlights the distinctness of his revelation and work.
• I went up (ἀνέβην - anebēn): Greek aorist indicative, denoting a completed past action. "Went up" naturally refers to Jerusalem's elevated geographical position but also carries spiritual significance as the spiritual center. It marks Paul's intentional journey.
• again (πάλιν - palin): This adverb clarifies that this is a subsequent visit to Jerusalem, distinguishing it from his first, more private visit mentioned in Galatians 1:18. The word is key to Paul's argument: he wasn't constantly seeking validation or receiving ongoing instruction from Jerusalem.
• to Jerusalem (εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα - eis Hierosolyma): The primary city of Jewish identity and the established hub for the early Christian church. Paul's voluntary return there despite his independent revelation demonstrates his desire for unity and affirmation (not derivation) with the central Christian leadership on core gospel truths.
• with Barnabas (μετά Βαρνάβα - meta Barnaba): Barnabas was a respected and prominent leader among Jewish Christians (Acts 4:36-37), having introduced Paul to the apostles during his first visit (Acts 9:27). His accompaniment provided Paul with a credible witness and co-advocate from within the Jewish Christian leadership, adding weight and trustworthiness to Paul's mission to the Gentiles. Barnabas had previously collaborated with Paul in missionary efforts (Acts 13).
• taking Titus along also (συμπαραλαβὼν Τίτον καὶ - symparalabōn Titon kai):
  • taking along (συμπαραλαβὼν - symparalabōn): A participle meaning "having taken along" or "taking with oneself." It emphasizes Paul's deliberate choice to bring Titus as part of his party.
  • Titus (Τίτον - Titon): A crucial figure in Paul's defense. Titus was an uncircumcised Greek (Gal 2:3), symbolizing the Gentile converts central to Paul's ministry. Paul brought Titus as a living embodiment of the Gentile gospel's validity and as a test case for the Jerusalem leaders, showing that a Gentile could be a full follower of Christ without undergoing circumcision. His presence was a bold and direct challenge to the Judaizing position.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Then after fourteen years I went up again": This phrase strongly emphasizes the chronological argument Paul employs. It establishes a significant passage of time since his last reported contact with the Jerusalem leadership, proving that his gospel and apostleship were independent of them and not derived through their instruction or validation during that extensive period. It highlights that this was a deliberate, calculated visit, not an urgent or frequent consultation.
• "with Barnabas, taking Titus along also": This group of companions reveals Paul's strategic approach. Barnabas provided an undeniable connection to the respected Jerusalem community and his credentials, while Titus represented the Gentile mission, embodying the very issue—Gentile inclusion without circumcision—that Paul sought to clarify and gain approval for. Their joint presence lent undeniable witness to Paul's work and presented the uncircumcised Gentile as an accepted brother in Christ before the "pillar apostles."

Galatians 2 1 Bonus section

The dating of Paul's second Jerusalem visit in Galatians 2:1 ("after fourteen years") is one of the most significant chronological keys for understanding Paul's life and ministry. While debated, a widely accepted view counts these fourteen years from Paul's conversion or call (perhaps as early as AD 32-34), adding to the "three years" from his first visit mentioned in Galatians 1:18, placing this particular meeting around AD 48-49. This chronology positions the event firmly as the Jerusalem Council described in Acts 15. The precision of "fourteen years" serves Paul's rhetorical purpose: to underscore that the substance of his gospel, which embraced uncircumcised Gentiles, had already been independently formed and confirmed by divine revelation over a substantial period, not through subsequent consultations or authorizations from the apostles in Jerusalem. His visit was thus to present his gospel, not to receive it. The encounter was for the mutual affirmation of two streams of gospel truth (to Jews and to Gentiles) emanating from the same divine source, critical for early Christian unity and doctrinal defense against the emerging Judaizing error.

Galatians 2 1 Commentary

Galatians 2:1 introduces the pivotal visit to Jerusalem where Paul sought to lay his gospel before the church's leaders, not for their approval to validate his message, but to ensure that his independent, Spirit-given revelation was recognized as congruent with theirs. The long interval of "fourteen years" powerfully asserts Paul's autonomy; his gospel did not evolve from or depend upon the Jerusalem apostles during this extended period of vigorous ministry. Accompanying him, Barnabas, a Jewish Christian with strong ties to Jerusalem, affirmed the continuity and integrity of the mission, while Titus, a prominent uncircumcised Gentile, stood as tangible proof of Paul's uncompromised gospel: salvation by grace through faith for all, regardless of ethnicity or adherence to ceremonial law. This strategic encounter, leading into the Jerusalem Council's resolutions (Acts 15), confirmed the universal nature of the gospel and established the non-essential nature of Mosaic Law observances for Gentile believers, solidifying the foundational doctrine that justification is through faith in Christ alone.

* Practical Example: Paul's actions provide a model for gospel clarity: he insisted on addressing doctrinal differences head-on, in a transparent manner (going "up to Jerusalem"), with clear evidence (Titus), to safeguard the purity of the message of salvation by grace for all. This demonstrates the importance of unity in core doctrine, not conformity in every practice.