Paul's Story
A painting of Paul speaking to Peter at Antioch

Paul's Story · Event 14 of 42

Paul Opposes Peter at Antioch

The Council in Jerusalem · Antioch in Syria

Before thisAfter this

Galatians 2:11–14

11But when Peter came to Antioch, I confronted him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12Before certain people arrived from James, Peter had been eating with Gentile believers. But when those people showed up, he pulled back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcision group. 13The other Jewish believers also acted hypocritically with him, so much so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14When I saw that they weren't acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of everyone, "You're a Jew, but you've been living like a Gentile, not like a Jew. So how can you now turn around and force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?"

Read Galatians 2
Up nextPaul and Barnabas Part WaysActs 15:36–41

About this event

What happened?

When Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, he used to eat with the Gentile believers. But when certain men came from James, he drew back and kept himself apart, because he feared the circumcision group. The other Jewish believers joined him in this hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray. Paul opposed Peter to his face in front of them all, because they were not walking in step with the truth of the gospel.

Who is here?

Where did this happen?

Antioch in Syria

A large city in Syria, north of Israel, where the disciples were first called Christians.

Where this fits

Event 2 of 3 in The Council in Jerusalem: The apostles and elders decide that Gentile believers need not be circumcised, and Paul and Barnabas part ways.

Good to know

Galatians does not say whether this happened before or after the council in Acts 15, and readers place it differently.

Keep exploring