Galatians 2:12 (ASV)

Passage

For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision.

Nearby Context

Galatians 2:10 only [they would] that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do.

Galatians 2:11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned.

Galatians 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision.

Galatians 2:13 And the rest of the Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation.

Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before [them] all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "before", "certain", "came", "james", "gentiles", "drew", and "back". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "before" and "certain", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "But when Cephas came to Antioch I..." into verse 13's "And the rest of the Jews dissembled...", so "before" and "certain" belong inside that flow. In Galatians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "before" and "certain" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.