[Note: As I began to move into the next block of translation, I recalled that Dr. Oster, one of my professors at Harding Grad, suggested to us one day the possibility that Paul’s self quotation that most translators contain in verse 14 might extend on into the following verses. I decided to work my translation in that direction, so I went back and picked back up with 2:14, even though it was in the last section as well.]
Translation
But when I saw that they weren’t being straight with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of everyone, “If you are a Jew, and yet live like a gentile and not like a jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? We are natural Jews and not from the Gentile sinners. We know that man is not justified from works of the law, if not through the faith of Jesus Christ. And we have put our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be justified from the faith of Christ and not from works of the law, because no flesh can be justified by works of the law. But if we are seeking to be justified in christ, and are found to also be sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? May it not be so!”
For if I build up that which I tore down, I demonstrate that I myself am a lawbreaker. For through the law I put the law to death, in order that I might live in God.
I have been crucified with Christ.
I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
What I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, the one who loved me and gave himself for me.
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if justification is through law, Christ died for no reason.
Reflections
Pardon the long translation with a short reflection, but when I was reading this, it was so apparent how punchy the last section is. Paul almost drops into a staccato style, which is so different than his normal verbiage. It really is a beautiful section of scripture.
