---
title: Galatians 2:15
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/galatians-2-15/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/galatians-2-15.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: Galatians 2:15
testament: NT
section: Letters
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# Galatians 2:15

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

> We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners”

## JW Usage

Galatians 2:15 — "We who are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the nations" — sets up Paul's argument to Peter, and JWs typically pass through it without lingering, because verse 16's "not justified by works of law" is awkward for the Watchtower's works-maintained-salvation framework. The preference is to read the "law" Paul rejects as ceremonial (Mosaic) law only, leaving room for "laws of Jehovah" mediated by the organisation.

## Protestant Usage

Verse 15 sets up the force of verses 16-21. Paul is addressing *Jewish-Christian* sensibilities — "we who are Jews by nature" — and then lays down the principle that shakes every law-based religious system: "a man is declared righteous, not due to works of law, but only through faith in Jesus Christ… because by works of law no flesh will be declared righteous" (v.16). The triple repetition in verse 16 is emphatic: not by works of law, but by faith; not by works of law; by works of law no flesh will be declared righteous. Paul's "works of law" cannot be narrowed to ceremonial Mosaic law alone — the same argument at Galatians 5:4 says "you who try to be declared righteous by means of law are separated from Christ; you have fallen away from the undeserved kindness." Any righteousness-through-law- keeping system is disqualifying, whether the law is Mosaic or organisational. And the parallel in Galatians 5:6 closes the loop — the only faith that "counts" is living faith "operating through love" — fruit flowing from the justified standing, not works maintaining it.

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [Faith Working Through Love](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/galatians5-6-faith-working-love.md) — Galatians 5:6 — is love the root or the fruit of faith? [Salvation]