Galatians 4:26

4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free, ¹  and she is our mother.

Galatians 1:18

1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem ²  to visit Cephas ³  and get information from him, ⁴  and I stayed with him fifteen days.

Galatians 2:1

Confirmation from the Jerusalem Apostles

2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem ⁵  again with Barnabas, taking Titus along too.

Galatians 1:17

1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem ⁶  to see those who were apostles before me, but right away I departed to Arabia, ⁷  and then returned to Damascus.

Galatians 4:25

4:25 Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

Galatians 1:22

1:22 But I was personally ⁸  unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.

Galatians 2:12

2:12 Until ⁹  certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this ¹⁰  and separated himself ¹¹  because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision. ¹² 

Galatians 2:9

2:9 and when James, Cephas, ¹³  and John, who had a reputation as ¹⁴  pillars, ¹⁵  recognized ¹⁶  the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me ¹⁷  the right hand of fellowship, agreeing ¹⁸  that we would go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁹ 

¹ sn The meaning of the statement the Jerusalem above is free is that the other woman represents the second covenant (cf. v. 24); she corresponds to the Jerusalem above that is free. Paul’s argument is very condensed at this point.

² map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

³ sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211).

⁴ tn Although often translated “to get acquainted with Cephas,” this could give the impression of merely a social call. L&N 34.52 has “to visit, with the purpose of obtaining information” for the meaning of ἱστορέω (Jistorew), particularly in this verse.

³ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁴ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁵ sn As a geographical region Arabia included the territory west of Mesopotamia, east and south of Syria and Palestine, extending to the isthmus of Suez. During the Roman occupation, some independent kingdoms arose like that of the Nabateans south of Damascus, and these could be called simply Arabia. In light of the proximity to Damascus, this may well be the territory Paul says he visited here. See also C. W. Briggs, “The Apostle Paul in Arabia,” Biblical World 41 (1913): 255-59.

⁵ tn Or “by sight”; Grk “by face.”

⁶ tn The conjunction γάρ has not been translated here.

⁷ tn Grk “he drew back.” If ἑαυτόν (Jeauton) goes with both ὑπέστελλεν (Jupestellen) and ἀφώριζεν (afwrizen) rather than only the latter, the meaning would be “he drew himself back” (see BDAG 1041 s.v. ὑποστέλλω 1.a).

⁸ tn Or “and held himself aloof.”

⁹ tn Grk “the [ones] of the circumcision,” that is, the group of Jewish Christians who insisted on circumcision of Gentiles before they could become Christians.

⁷ sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211).

⁸ tn Or “who were influential as,” or “who were reputed to be.” See also the note on the word “influential” in 2:6.

⁹ sn Pillars is figurative here for those like James, Peter, and John who were leaders in the Jerusalem church.

¹⁰ tn The participle γνόντες (gnontes) has been taken temporally. It is structurally parallel to the participle translated “when they saw” in v. 7.

¹¹ tn Grk “me and Barnabas.”

¹² tn Grk “so,” with the ἵνα (Jina) 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.

¹³ tn Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.