Gospels:  What’s the difference in the two Paul talks about?

The ignorance that prevails about this in Christendom is a sight to behold.  Most churchgoers don’t even know that Peter and Paul proclaimed two very different gospel messages. 

Romans 11:13

¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: [Emphasis added]

Please see my article about this—

Gospel: Where did the apostle Paul get the one he preached?

There’s a summary statement about these two gospels in this one verse—

Galatians 2:7

⁷ But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me [Paul], as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; [Emphasis added]

What could be clearer than that? It is extremely important for people to know that these men had TWO distinctly different gospel messages.  For more information about this, please see my article—

Gospels: Did Peter and Paul preach the same gospel?

The Twelve were apostles to Israel and Paul was THE apostle to the Gentiles.

Galatians 2:8-9

⁸ (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision [a reference to Israelites], the same was mighty in me [Paul] toward the Gentiles🙂

⁹ And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me [Paul][not US], they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen [ETHNOS = Gentiles], and they unto the circumcision [Jews, Israelites]. [Emphasis added]

In the early days of Paul’s ministry in various Gentile cities he would go to the local synagogue first to proclaim to them that this Jesus of Nazareth was indeed their promised Messiah.  He surely WAS the Christ, the Messiah they’d been believing would come.

Acts 9:20

²⁰ And straightway he [Paul] preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. [Emphasis added]

This continued for a while as Paul’s pattern of ministry, but he kept facing stern rejection from the Jews.

Acts 17:1-5

¹ Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

² And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

³ Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

⁴ And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

⁵ But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd [PONEROS = vile, wicked, or evil] fellows of the baser sort [AGORIOS = rabble, trouble-makers, people looking for trouble], and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. [Emphasis added]

Again, this pattern of him going to the Jews first continued but only for a time.

Acts 17:17

¹⁷ Therefore disputed [a noun – DIALOGISMOS = reason or debate] he [Paul] in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout [SEBOMAI = emotionally committed] persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. [Emphasis added]

Acts 18:4

⁴ And he [Paul] reasoned [DIALOGIZOMAI = reasoned or debated] in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. [Emphasis added]

Acts 19:8-9

⁸ And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

⁹ But when divers were hardened, and believed NOT, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. [Emphasis added]

But Paul eventually made an important change because of the Jews’ rejection of his message and because God had commissioned him as the apostle to the Gentiles.

Romans 11:12-13

¹² Now if the fall of them [Jews, Israelites] be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify [MEGALUNO = make large or emphasize] mine office: [Emphasis added]

Does “the church” of today “magnify” the teachings of the apostle Paul? No! It is Peter’s message that they “magnify.”  If you’d like more information about this emphasis of his message and ministry, please see my articles about it.  Here’s the link to one of them—

Paul:  Do we make too much of him?

Now let’s compare these two different gospel messages. We’ll begin by looking again at this verse that is mistranslated in many Bibles.  Here’s the King James Version that has it correctly translated—

Galatians 2:7

⁷ But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel OF the uncircumcision was committed unto me [Paul], as the gospel OF the circumcision was unto Peter; [Emphasis added]

In many translations that little word OF is incorrectly translated with the word TO. That “little” difference makes a BIG difference.  If it was in the dative case in the Greek text, it would be correct to translate it TO, but it is in the genitive case which means OF is the correct word for what is there.  That means Paul wasn’t talking about just who he was ministering TO, but the message itself was different.  Let’s note some of those differences—

Peter’s gospel required circumcision, but Paul’s did not.

1 Corinthians 7:17-19

¹⁷ But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

¹⁸ Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

¹⁹ Circumcision is NOTHING, and uncircumcision is NOTHING, but the keeping of the commandments of God. [Emphasis added]

Today, because of the revelation of the grace message given to the apostle Paul, there’s no need for circumcision in salvation.  It is totally unnecessary!

Peter’s gospel required the Mosaic Law, but Paul’s did not.

We are not “under” the dictates of the Mosaic Law today.  Paul says we’re under the dictates of what he speaks of as the message of grace.

Romans 6:13-15

¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. [Emphasis added]

All this is just a sample of what Paul tells us about this.

Peter’s gospel required water baptism, but Paul’s did not.

Acts 2:37-38

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, AND BE BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [Emphasis added]

Is this what Paul tells us one must do to be saved? What he told a Philippian jailor to do for salvation is exactly what someone must do today for it—

Acts 16:29-31

²⁹ Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

³⁰ And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

³¹ And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. [Emphasis added]

Yes, even his whole household could be saved if they would “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” as their Savior. 

The principle of faith has always been at the heart of God’s means for man’s salvation.  The difference has been in how God required someone to manifest their faith.  Under Peter’s gospel water baptism was a part of it.  Today, it is in the absence of water baptism and any other work.  It simply demands faith in Jesus Christ and His work alone.

Today man’s “works,” whether they be water baptism or anything else, are not required.  Today there’s only one baptism involved in man’s salvation—

Ephesians 4:5

⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism, [Emphasis added]

1 Corinthians 12:13

¹³ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. [Emphasis added]

God rejects every work of man for his salvation.  It is only faith in Christ’s work that provides salvation.

Romans 4:4-5

⁴ Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

⁵ But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. [Emphasis added]

Again, salvation doesn’t come to anyone today by any kind of works.  It comes strictly by grace through faith in Christ’s work alone—that work being Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

¹ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]

Still again, salvation is by grace through faith in this work of Christ alone.

Ephesians 2:8-9

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Emphasis added]

Good works should come forth because of or as a result of one’s salvation; not as one’s means to it.

Ephesians 2:10

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. [Emphasis added]

These are not the only differences in Peter’s and Paul’s gospel but they are the major ones.  Paul made a special trip to Jerusalem to teach the apostles and others his new and different gospel which the resurrected Christ had given him.

Galatians 2:1-3

¹ Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

² And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

This tells us that Paul was careful or tactful in how he presented this “new” and “different” gospel to them.  A part of its newness is that it excluded circumcision and water baptism as requirements.

³ But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek [a Gentile], was compelled to be circumcised: [Emphasis added]

This trip and this teaching would not have been necessary if they were all already preaching the same message. Notice one more time what Paul says about this—

Galatians 2:7-9

⁷ But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

⁸ (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

⁹ And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me [speaking of this message of grace that was first given to Paul], they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen [the Gentiles], and they unto the circumcision. [Emphasis added]

What this is telling us is that this gospel that Paul preached had to be explained to Peter and the eleven.  They knew nothing about it until they heard it from him.  Unlike theirs, it didn’t require baptism and circumcision for salvation.  People who were ignorant of Paul’s gospel were still promoting these things and requiring them for salvation.

Galatians 2:4

⁴ And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: [Emphasis added]

The bondage he speaks of is that of the Mosaic Law which of course included circumcision.  We are here told that we’ve been liberated from that.

Acts 15:1

¹ And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren [fellow believers, other members of the family of God], and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. [Emphasis added]

Most people have little if any interest in all this that I’m here writing about.  But for those of you who plan to end up in Heaven someday, you had better be sure you understand and believe this message of grace as the basis for your entry, not your works of righteousness of any kind.  What a struggle it is to convince people of this today!

Titus 3:5

⁵ NOT by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration [PALINGENESIA = a new birth], and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [Emphasis added]

Today most churchgoers are living under the bondage of some system of works righteousness.  Some were once even saved by grace through faith alone but have since bought into a works-based salvation.  Such was apparently the case with some saved Pharisees who became a part of this revolt against Paul’s message of grace.  Note what is said about these people—

Acts 15:5

⁵ But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. [Emphasis added]

If salvation through grace without the Law had been the gospel of the Apostles, there would have not been a dispute about Paul’s message.  There would have then been no need for them to hash out this matter.

Peter then points out the conversion of a Gentile named Cornelius.  He is said to be “devout” because he had been circumcised, was a man of prayer, worked to obey the Mosaic Law, and more.  Here’s what all is said about him—

Acts 10:1-4

¹ There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

² A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

³ He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

⁴ And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. [Emphasis added]

Acts 10:21-22

²¹ Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?

²² And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. [Emphasis added]

Then Peter later tells us more about this occasion—

Acts 15:8-10

⁸ And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

⁹ And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

¹⁰ Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

So, Peter affirms that salvation has also come to the Gentiles, but he implores the elders and Apostles not to place a burden on them.  He then makes a clear statement saying they had NOT been proclaiming the grace message that had been given to Paul.  What they’d been preaching was a gospel of God but not the same one.

Acts 15:11

¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

You may want to read that again.  He does not say they’d all been saved the same way.  The gospel of Peter and the eleven was a different gospel.  He plainly says, “we shall be saved, even as they.”

Let’s look at this passage one more time—

Galatians 2:5-10

⁵ To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

⁶ But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

⁷ But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

What a wonderful difference it would make if “the church” of today would accept this!

⁸ (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

⁹ And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

¹⁰ Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. [Emphasis added]

This is clearly showing us that Paul was completely committed to the gospel of the uncircumcision just as Peter and the others had been committed to the gospel of the circumcision.  Both were gospel messages of God but quite different.

Conclusion—

1. The gospel before Paul’s was exclusionary.

It was confined to Jews only. 

Acts 11:19

¹⁹ Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. [Emphasis added]

Paul was committed to the gospel of uncircumcision and the others, particularly John, Peter and James, the gospel of circumcision. If there’s no difference, why the different names? Furthermore, if there’s no difference, why the different audiences?

2. Our gospel is not confined to one or the other.

Romans 10:12

¹² For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek [Gentile]: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. [Emphasis added]

3. The gospel before Paul required

Acts 15:1

¹ And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. [Emphasis added]

Our gospel today does not require circumcision for salvation.

Galatians 5:6

⁶ For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but FAITH which worketh by love. [Emphasis added]

4. The gospel prior to Paul required keeping the Mosaic Law.

Acts 15:5

⁵ But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. [Emphasis added]

5. Our gospel today does not require keeping the law.

Romans 7:4

⁴ Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become DEAD to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. [Emphasis added]

Romans 10:4

⁴ For Christ is the END of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. [Emphasis added]

Ephesians 2:15-18

¹⁵ Having ABOLISHED in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; [Emphasis added]

¹⁶ And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

¹⁷ And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

¹⁸ For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. [Emphasis added]

6. The gospel prior to Paul required water baptism.

Acts 2:38

³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [Emphasis added]

7. Our gospel does not require water baptism.

1 Corinthians 1:17

¹⁷ For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. [Emphasis added]

8. There’s only the one baptism today.

Ephesians 4:5

⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism, [Emphasis added]

This ONE baptism unites people with Christ and His body of believers.  It is clearly God’s will that His people would take the time to sort these things out. If they don’t, they’ll mislead people about what is required of God for salvation.  There’s nothing in life that is as serious and as important as that.