GAL 2:18 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) If I rebuild what I’ve already torn down, that would show me to be a law-breaker.

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT For if I again rebuild those things which I destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.

UST If I again believed that God would make me righteous because of my obeying the laws that he gave to Moses, I would be like a man who rebuilds an old building that he had torn down. If I did that I would show that I was guilty of acting wrongly.

BLB For if I build again these things that I had torn down, I prove myself a transgressor.

AICNT For if I rebuild what I have destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.

OEB For, if I rebuild the things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong.

WEBBE For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a law-breaker.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET But if I build up again those things I once destroyed, I demonstrate that I am one who breaks God’s law.

LSV For if the things I threw down, these again I build up, I set myself forth [as] a transgressor;

FBV For if I were to rebuild what I've destroyed, then I only demonstrate I'm a law-breaker.[fn]

2:18 In other words, if I return to the old system of law as the means of being set right with God, all I do is prove that I am in violation of the law as a sinner.

TCNT For if I build up again the very things that I tore down, I show myself to be a transgressor.

T4T So if I should again believe that God would erase the record of my sins because of my obeying the laws that he gave to Moses [MET], I would be like a man who rebuilds an old building that he tore down. It would soon be clear that I am one who disobeys those same laws that God gave to Moses.

LEB For if I build up again these things which I destroyed, I show myself to be a transgressor.

BBE For if I put up again those things which I gave to destruction, I am seen to be a wrongdoer.

Moff I really convict myself of transgression when I rebuild what I destroyed.

Wymth Why, if I am now rebuilding that structure of sin which I had demolished, I am thereby constituting myself a transgressor;

ASV For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor.

DRA For if I build up again the things which I have destroyed, I make myself a prevaricator.

YLT for if the things I threw down, these again I build up, a transgressor I set myself forth;

Drby For if the things I have thrown down, these I build again, I constitute myself a transgressor.

RV For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor.

SLT For if what I destroy, these I build again, I unite myself with the transgressor.

Wbstr For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

KJB-1769 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

KJB-1611 For if I build againe the things which I destroyed, I make my selfe a transgressour.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps For yf I builde agayne the thynges which I destroyed, then make I my selfe a trespasser.
(For if I build again the things which I destroyed, then make I myself a trespasser.)

Gnva For if I build againe the things that I haue destroyed, I make my selfe a trespasser.
(For if I build again the things that I have destroyed, I make myself a trespasser. )

Cvdl For yf I buylde agayne yt which I haue destroyed, then make I my selfe a trespacer.
(For if I build again it which I have destroyed, then make I myself a trespacer.)

TNT For yf I bylde agayne that which I destroyed. then make I my selfe a treaspaser.
(For if I bylde again that which I destroyed. then make I myself a treaspaser. )

Wycl God forbede. And if Y bylde ayen thingis that Y haue distruyed, Y make my silf a trespassour.
(God forbede. And if I bylde again things that I have distruyed, I make myself a trespassour.)

Luth Wenn ich aber das, so ich zerbrochen habe, wiederum baue, so mache ich mich selbst zu einem Übertreter.
(When I but this/that, so I broken have, again/in_turn builds, so make I me himself/itself to/for on violator.)

ClVg Si enim quæ destruxi, iterum hæc ædifico: prævaricatorem me constituo.
(When/But_if because which destruxi, again these_things ædifico: beforevaricatorem me constituo. )

UGNT εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα, ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνιστάνω.
(ei gar ha katelusa, tauta palin oikodomō, parabataʸn emauton sunistanō.)

SBL-GNT εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν ⸀συνιστάνω.
(ei gar ha katelusa tauta palin oikodomō, parabataʸn emauton ⸀sunistanō.)

RP-GNT Εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα, ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνίστημι.
(Ei gar ha katelusa, tauta palin oikodomō, parabataʸn emauton sunistaʸmi.)

TC-GNT Εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα, ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν [fn]συνίστημι.
(Ei gar ha katelusa, tauta palin oikodomō, parabataʸn emauton sunistaʸmi. )

2:18 συνιστημι ¦ συνιστανω CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:11–21: Paul corrected Peter in Antioch

In this section, Paul told his readers what the true gospel is. It is salvation by faith in Christ alone. Obeying the law is not part of the true gospel. Doing what the law demands does not justify anyone.

Paul told how Peter had deserted the true gospel. He wanted the Galatians to understand how they too were deserting the true gospel. They had started to think that it was necessary to obey the law to be justified. Paul wanted them to read about his rebuke to Peter so that they could recognize how their own situation was similar. They must completely reject justification through the law. He emphasized that justification is by faith in Christ alone.

This section also shows that Paul’s authority as an apostle was at least as great as Peter’s was. This section is also an indirect rebuke of the false teachers who had come to the Galatian churches and required the non-Jews to adopt Jewish traditions to be accepted as true Christians.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Paul rebukes Peter

Paul defended the truth of the gospel

Paul shows how Peter was wrong

Paragraph 2:14–21

In this paragraph, Paul asked Peter and the other Jewish believers to live according to the true gospel. This meant that they had to reject the idea that they were justified by obeying the law. Paul emphasized that justification is by faith in Christ alone. Peter’s actions had implied that it was also necessary to keep the law. That would make Christ’s death meaningless and nullify the grace of God.

In 2:14c, Paul began to speak directly to Peter. There are at least three ways to interpret where Paul’s direct speech to Peter ends:

It ends after verse 21. (NIV, NASB, CEV)
It ends after verse 14. In verses 15–21, what Paul said to Peter is indirect speech. (BSB, ESV, NET, RSV, JBP, GNT, NJB, GW, NCV)
It ends after verse 16. (NLT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). In 2:15, it is possible that Paul began to also talk to the other people who were there. But he was still also talking to Peter. So Paul’s speech does not end until verse 21.Schreiner on page 150 says, “The first question to be asked is where Paul’s words to Peter, which began in 2:11, end. Since quotation marks are lacking in the original manuscripts, certainty eludes us. Possibly the words directed to Peter conclude after 2:14, 2:15, 2:16, 2:18, or 2:21. I personally argue that it makes most sense to see all of 2:14–21 as addressed to Peter. At least four pieces of evidence support this conclusion. (1) Verse 15 is not clearly set off from 2:11–14. (2) The first person plural pronouns in 2:15–17 most naturally refer to Jewish Christians and would speak to such people in Antioch. (3) Verse 17 may reflect the charges against Peter. (4) A new subject commences on 3:1, where the Galatians are addressed directly.”

If you choose option (2), your translation should still show that Paul is indirectly speaking to Peter in 2:15–21. For example, at the beginning of 2:15, the JBP says:

And then I went on to explain that (JBP)

2:18a

If I rebuild what I have already torn down,

For if I build up again what I had destroyed,
What I mean is, if a person returns to obeying the law in order to be right with God, it is as if he rebuilds a building that he had destroyed.
If we^(incl) stop obeying the law in order to be made right with God, then we start obeying it again,

In 2:18, Paul explains why Christ did not cause Christian Jews to be sinners (2:17). A sinner is not someone who abandons the law and believes in Jesus to make him righteous. A sinner is someone who returns to following the law after abandoning it. Paul introduces this explanation with a Greek conjunction is often translated as “for,” as in many English versions. Some other ways to introduce this explanation are:

What I mean is that

Rather (NLT)

The BSB has not translated this conjunction, and some other versions, such as the NIV and GNT, also do not translate it. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this conjunction either. Connect 2:18a to 2:17c in a way that is natural in your language.

If I rebuild what I have already torn down: This “if” clause contains a metaphor. In this metaphor, Paul compared justification by following the law to a building. He compared abandoning the law as a means of justification to tearing down the building. And he compared returning to obeying the law as a means of justification to rebuilding the building. This can be charted as follows:

Paul’s metaphor	nonmetaphorical form
a building	Jews believe that a person is made right with God by obeying the laws of Moses.
I destroyed the building	When I became a Christian, I stopped believing that it was necessary to obey the law to be right with God.
If I rebuild the building	If I return to again believing that it is necessary to obey the law to be right with God,

Some possible ways to translate this metaphor are:

Translate the metaphor. In some languages, it will be more natural to change the order of the terms rebuild and torn down. For example:
if I tear down something and then build it again (CEV)
Use a simile. For example:
If I return to obeying the law for justification, it is as if I rebuild a building that I had destroyed.
Translate the meaning. For example:
If I stop following the law in order to be justified, and then I start following it again
If I believe that it is necessary to believe in Christ for justification instead of following the law, and then I change and start following the law again for justification

I: When Paul used the pronoun I here, he used himself to represent Peter and the other Jewish believers in 2:13a. These were the people who implied that obeying the law was necessary for justification. Paul used the pronoun I here to be polite and indirect.

Some languages can use the pronoun I in this way. In English and many other languages, the pronoun I is confusing here. Some languages use other means to be polite and indirect. For example:

If a person rebuilds what he destroyed

If we rebuild what we destroyed

If someone destroys something then rebuilds it again

In this verse, use whichever form is most natural in your language. You will also need to translate “I” in 2:18b in the same way.

2:18b

I prove myself to be a lawbreaker.

I show that I am someone who breaks God’s law.
By doing that, he shows that he is a person who did not follow/obey the law.
we^(incl) show that we are sinners.

I prove myself to be a lawbreaker: The Greek word that the BSB translates as prove means “demonstrate” or “show.” A lawbreaker is a person who transgresses/breaks the law. In this clause, Paul stated that people who return to obeying the law for justification show that they are lawbreakers.

Paul was probably still thinking of what Peter did. Peter broke Jewish laws when he ate with Gentiles. (He tore down the building.) Then he started to follow the law again when he stopped eating with them. (He rebuilt the building.) When he returned to following the law, he showed that he had broken the law. He showed that he was a lawbreaker. So Christ was not the one who led him to sin. Peter’s own actions showed that he had become a sinner.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

then I show myself to be someone who breaks the Law (GNT)

then he shows that he did not follow/obey the law

we show that we are sinners

I: You should use the same pronoun or word as you used in 2:18a.

Parallel GAL 2:18

Section 2:11–21: Paul corrected Peter in Antioch

Paragraph 2:14–21

2:18a

2:18b