Galatians 2:4

Galatians 2:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—
• New King James Version (NKJV)And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),

Context of Galatians 2:4

2I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain. 3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. 5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. 6But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me.

Galatians 2:4 word by word

διὰ δὲ τοὺς παρεισάκτους ψευδαδέλφους, οἵτινες παρεισῆλθον κατασκοπῆσαι τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἡμῶν ἣν ἔχομεν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα ἡμᾶς καταδουλώσουσιν,Read the interlinear

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• becauseδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• false brothersψευδάδελφοςpseudadelphos · false brotherG5569
• ·ὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• had come inπαρεισέρχομαιpareiserchomai · to come inG3922
• under false pretensesπαρείσακτοςpareisaktos · infiltratedG3920
• to spy onκατασκοπέωkataskopeō · to spyG2684
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• freedomἐλευθερίαeleutheria · freedomG1657
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·ἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• in orderἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• to enslaveκαταδουλόωkatadouloō · to enslaveG2615

Cross-references for Galatians 2:4

• Galatians 5:10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.
• Acts 15:1Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
• Acts 20:30Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.
• 2 Corinthians 11:13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
• 1 John 4:1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
• 2 Timothy 3:6They are the kind who worm their way into households and captivate vulnerable women who are weighed down with sins and led astray by various passions,
• 2 Peter 2:1Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
• Jude 1:4For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
• Galatians 3:23Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
• Galatians 5:1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
• Psalms 51:12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.
• Psalms 119:45And I will walk in freedom, for I have sought Your precepts.
• John 8:31So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.
• 2 Corinthians 3:17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
• 1 Peter 2:16Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
• 2 Peter 2:19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

Commentaries on Galatians 2:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And that because of false brethren - Who these false brethren were is not certainly known, nor is it known whether he refers to those who were at Jerusalem or to those who were at Antioch. It is probable that he refers to Judaizing Christians, or persons who claimed to be Christians and to have been converted from Judaism. Whether they were dissemblers and hypocrites, or whether they were so imperfectly acquainted with Christianity, and so obstinate…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Paul called some supposed believers false, saying they were not Christians. They did not understand or truly accept the good news about Jesus, unlike the apostles in Jerusalem (2:3). had come in under false pretenses: Paul suggests that a larger group of Jewish "Christians" opposed his preaching (see Acts 15:5) and supported the false teachers who joined the church. Requiring non-Jewish Christians to follow Jewish law would trap them in rules and deny the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. And that--that is, What I did concerning Titus (namely, by not permitting him to be circumcised) was not from contempt of circumcision, but "on account of the false brethren" (Ac 15:1, 24) who, had I yielded to the demand for his being circumcised, would have perverted the case into a proof that I deemed circumcision necessary. unawares--"in an underhand manner brought in." privily--stealthily. to spy out--as foes in the guise of friends, wishing to…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 2:4

• Barnabas
• Bigotry
• Circumcision
• Heresy
• Law
• Minister, Christian
• Spies

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Christ, Jesus
• Add
• Blame
• Bondage
• Circumcision
• Conference

Commentaries on Galatians 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings