Galatians 2 13

Galatians 2:13 kjv

And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

Galatians 2:13 nkjv

And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Galatians 2:13 niv

The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

Galatians 2:13 esv

And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

Galatians 2:13 nlt

As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter's hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

Galatians 2 verses

Galatians 2 13 Meaning

Galatians 2:13 reveals the devastating impact of Peter’s actions at Antioch. It describes how the other Jewish Christians present were influenced to participate in Peter's withdrawal from eating with Gentile believers. This withdrawal, driven by a fear of those advocating Jewish legal customs, constituted a public pretense, undermining the gospel's truth about salvation by grace and the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ. The verse starkly notes that even Barnabas, Paul’s esteemed companion and advocate for Gentiles, was swept away and carried along by this act of hypocrisy.

Galatians 2 13 Context

Galatians chapter 2 details Paul's reaffirmation of his apostolic authority and the true nature of the gospel against legalistic teachings. Verse 13 directly follows Paul's account of confronting Peter (Cephas) in Antioch (Gal 2:11-12). Peter had initially eaten freely with Gentile believers, affirming their inclusion in the church without requiring adherence to Mosaic dietary laws. However, when certain Jewish Christians from James arrived, Peter withdrew and separated himself from the Gentiles, fearing criticism from the "circumcision party." This verse highlights the domino effect of Peter's action: other Jewish believers, witnessing their respected leader's shift, joined him in this act of segregation. This created a clear division and contradicted the unity of the gospel.

Historically, Antioch was a crucial center for Gentile Christianity, serving as a hub for missionary activity (Acts 11:19-26, 13:1-3). The dispute concerned not just food, but the very basis of fellowship and salvation—whether Gentile converts truly shared equal standing with Jewish believers, or if they needed to adopt Jewish customs, essentially making them "second-class" Christians or implying salvation through works, not solely faith in Christ. Peter’s public inconsistency sent a strong and damaging message that undermined Paul's preaching of justification by faith alone and Gentile inclusion.

Galatians 2 13 Word analysis

• And the rest of the Jews (καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ Ἰουδαῖοι, kai hoi loipoi Ioudaioi): "The rest" refers to the other Jewish Christians present in Antioch, distinct from Peter. This shows the ripple effect of a prominent leader's actions. It signifies a collective following, not just individual actions.
• also played the hypocrite along with him (συνυπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ, synypokrithēsan autō): This compound verb synypokrinomai (from syn "with" + hypokrinomai "to pretend, to act, to play a part") means "to act a part with," "to dissimulate along with." It denotes complicity and participation in the same pretense or hypocrisy. The use of "played the hypocrite" signifies an act of deception, a behavior that was contrary to their inward conviction or previous practice. They were putting on a show for the observers from Jerusalem, indicating a fear of man rather than steadfast adherence to the truth of the gospel.
• so that even Barnabas (ὥστε καὶ Βαρνάβας, hōste kai Barnabas): "So that" introduces the consequence of the collective hypocrisy. The inclusion of "even Barnabas" emphasizes the shocking nature of this event for Paul. Barnabas, known as "Son of Encouragement" (Acts 4:36), was Paul's co-worker, a respected leader who championed the Gentiles (Acts 11:22-26, 13:2-3). His succumbing to the pressure was a profound disappointment and validation of how pervasive the issue was. It indicated the serious power of Peter's example.
• was led astray (συναπηχθῆναι, synapēchthēnai): This passive infinitive synapago (from syn "with" + apago "to lead away, carry off") means "to be carried away with," "to be drawn aside with," "to be swept along." It suggests that Barnabas did not necessarily choose this course with full conviction, but rather was unintentionally or subtly drawn into the errant behavior by the strong current of influence and peer pressure, particularly from figures like Peter. This highlights the insidious nature of Peter's fear-driven actions, pulling others along, even those with good intentions.
• by their hypocrisy (αὐτῶν τῇ ὑποκρίσει, autōn tē hypokrisei): "Hypocrisy" (ὑπόκρισις, hypokrisis) refers to the "playing of a role" or "pretending." In this context, it signifies their inconsistent behavior: previously fellowshipping openly with Gentiles, now publicly separating from them to appear righteous to legalistic Jews. It implies insincerity or a deliberate contradiction between their internal belief (that Gentiles were part of the one body) and their external behavior, which implicitly denied it.

Galatians 2 13 Bonus section

The strong verb "synypokrithēsan" ("played the hypocrite along with him") does not imply conscious malicious intent by all who joined Peter. Instead, it conveys a profound inconsistency between inward conviction (that salvation is by grace and that Gentiles are equal) and outward action (separating from Gentiles). This external conformity to a false standard, driven by social fear, is precisely what makes it hypocrisy in Paul's eyes, regardless of the personal motives of each individual. The Greek term hypokrisis carries the theatrical sense of "playing a role" or "wearing a mask." This indicates that their actions were a performance for a particular audience (the 'men from James'), not an authentic expression of their actual belief in the gospel. This incident served as a powerful lesson for the early church that the truth of the gospel had practical implications for Christian living and fellowship, overriding social conventions or pressures rooted in previous legalistic practices.

Galatians 2 13 Commentary

Galatians 2:13 exposes a grave moment in early church history, highlighting how even leading apostles could stumble, driven by social pressure and fear of disapproval rather than gospel conviction. Peter’s public withdrawal from eating with Gentiles, though perhaps not a direct theological denial on his part, functionally served as one, compromising the "truth of the gospel." His pretense (hypocrisy) communicated that Gentile believers were somehow less clean or required adherence to Mosaic law for full fellowship. This sent a ripple through the community, pulling in other Jewish believers who observed their respected leaders. Most significantly, Barnabas's susceptibility to this influence underscored the severe gravity of Peter's error and the pervasive nature of the false message. It illustrates that spiritual leaders are not immune to such lapses and that such lapses have far-reaching and detrimental consequences on the spiritual health and unity of the Body of Christ. The verse underscores the need for integrity, consistency with one’s confessed faith, and boldness to stand for the gospel’s truth even against popular or influential opinion.