2:2a
I went in response to a revelation: The word revelation means that God “revealed” or “showed” something to Paul. He showed him that he should go to Jerusalem. The apostles in Jerusalem did not send for Paul. Paul wrote this to show that he was under God’s authority, not under the authority of the apostles.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I went because God showed me I should go. (New Century Version)
-or-
I went there because God had told me to go (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
God told me to go to Jerusalem, ?so? I went there.
2:2b
Before you translate 2:2b, compare the Berean Standard Bible with the English Standard Version. Notice where each version puts the clause that includes the word “privately.” (This clause is underlined below.)
and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders (Berean Standard Bible)
and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles (English Standard Version)
In 2:2b, the Berean Standard Bible follows the Greek order more closely than the English Standard Version. Many languages will probably want to follow the Berean Standard Bible order here.
and set before them: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as set before also means “declared,” “communicated,” “explained,” or “made clear.” When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he explained to the church leaders what he was teaching to the Gentiles. He wanted to get their response. He did this so that everyone would know that he and the church leaders were in agreement about the message that he preached.
Some other ways to translate this verb are:
I explained (Good News Translation)
-or-
shared with them (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I told their leaders (New Century Version)
them: The pronoun them refers to the leaders in the Jerusalem church. This is the first time in this passage that Paul referred to these men. In 2:9, he named them: James, Peter, and John. Elsewhere in this passage he referred to them as “the ones who seemed influential” (2:2, 2:6a, 2:6d) and “those who seemed to be pillars” (2:9).
In many languages, you must first introduce people using a noun, not a pronoun. If your language is like that, you will need to:
• Use a noun phrase here. For example:
the church leaders in Jerusalem
• Change the order of the clause so that the clause “those recognized as leaders” comes before the pronoun them. For example:
I had a meeting alone with those ?men? who were influential. I explained to them the message that I preach to the non-Jews
the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles: The word Gentiles: is the same word that Paul used in 1:16b. See also Gentiles, Meaning 1, in the Glossary for more information.
But I spoke privately: The word privately indicates that Paul explained his message only to certain people. It implies that the meeting did not include the entire church.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
I explained this only to those who were leaders
-or-
I did this alone with the church leaders
to those recognized as leaders: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to those recognized as leaders refers to the men who were recognized as important leaders of the church in Jerusalem. These leaders included Peter, James, and John. (See Galatians 2:9 and Acts 15:6.)
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
the influential people (NET Bible)
-or-
those esteemed as leaders (New International Version (2011))
-or-
the leaders of the church (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
the leaders (Good News Translation)
A few English versions (such as the English Standard Version and New International Version) translate this phrase as “those who seemed to be leaders.” Such a translation can give the false impression that these men only “seemed” to be leaders, but they were really not leaders. Most commentaries agree that this phrase refers to recognized leaders. In your translation, do not imply that Paul was questioning whether these men were actually leaders of the church.
2:2c
for fear that: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for fear that introduce Paul’s purpose in explaining his message to the church leaders. Paul explained his message to the leaders (2:2b) in order to be sure that they agreed with his work (2:2c).
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
in order that
-or-
so that I could be sure/certain
-or-
I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement (New Living Translation (2004))
In Greek, these words are more literally “so that not.” So another way to translate these words are:
so that I might not be running, or have run the race, in vain (HCSB)
Paul did not want his work to be for nothing. If the church leaders and Paul did not agree about the content of the gospel, then the spread of the gospel would be hindered. He did not want division between the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers.
2:2d
I was running or had already run in vain: This clause is a metaphor. In this metaphor, Paul compared his work of preaching the gospel to a person running a race. A preacher and a runner are similar in that both people work hard, and neither wants his work to be in vain. A person who runs a race works hard to win. Paul worked hard to preach the gospel. He wanted the gospel that he preached to have lasting effects, and he wanted the leaders to agree that it was the true gospel.
Some ways to translate this metaphor are:
• Keep the metaphor. In most languages, it will be good to add some explanation. For example:
?all my work was not in vain and? I was running the race for nothing.
• Translate the metaphor as a simile. For example:
?all the work that I had done was not like? a race that I had run or was running in vain
• Translate the meaning without the metaphor. For example:
I did not want my past work and the work I am now doing to be wasted. (New Century Version)
-or-
what I had done and proposed doing was acceptable to them (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
in vain: The phrase in vain means “useless,” “for nothing,” “without result,” or “without effect.”
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
wasted (New Century Version)
-or-
useless
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