Galatians 2:9

2:9 and when James, Cephas, ¹  and John, who had a reputation as ²  pillars, ³  recognized ⁴  the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me ⁵  the right hand of fellowship, agreeing ⁶  that we would go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ⁷ 

Galatians 6:8

6:8 because the person who sows to his own flesh ⁸  will reap corruption ⁹  from the flesh, ¹⁰  but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

[2:9]  ¹ sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211).

[2:9]  ² tn Or “who were influential as,” or “who were reputed to be.” See also the note on the word “influential” in 2:6.

[2:9]  ³ sn Pillars is figurative here for those like James, Peter, and John who were leaders in the Jerusalem church.

[2:9]  ⁴ tn The participle γνόντες (gnontes) has been taken temporally. It is structurally parallel to the participle translated “when they saw” in v. 7.

[2:9]  ⁵ tn Grk “me and Barnabas.”

[2:9]  ⁶ 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.

[2:9]  ⁷ tn Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.

[6:8]  ⁸ tn BDAG 915 s.v. σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as σ. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ…Gal 5:13, 24;…Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα…Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”

[6:8]  ⁹ tn Or “destruction.”

[6:8]  ¹⁰ tn See the note on the previous occurrence of the word “flesh” in this verse.