Galatians 2:6 (GNV)

Passage

But by them which seemed to be great, I was not taught (whatsoeuer they were in time passed, I am nothing the better: God accepteth no mans person) for they that are the chiefe, did adde nothing to me aboue that I had.

Nearby Context

Galatians 2:4 To wit, for the false brethren which were craftily sent in, and crept in priuily to spie out our libertie, which we haue in Christ Iesus, that they might bring vs into bondage.

Galatians 2:5 To whom we gaue not place by subiection for an houre, that the trueth of the Gospel might continue with you.

Galatians 2:6 But by them which seemed to be great, I was not taught (whatsoeuer they were in time passed, I am nothing the better: God accepteth no mans person) for they that are the chiefe, did adde nothing to me aboue that I had.

Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that ye Gospel ouer ye vncircumcision was comitted vnto me, as the Gospel ouer ye circumcision was vnto Peter:

Galatians 2:8 (For he that was mightie by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision, was also mightie by me toward the Gentiles)

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "seemed", "great", "taught", "whatsoeuer", "time", "passed", "nothing", and "better". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "seemed" and "great", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "To whom we gaue not place by..." into verse 7's "But contrariwise when they saw that ye...", so "seemed" and "great" 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 "seemed" and "great" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.