New King James Version
Galatians 2:4
4And 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),
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 Living Translation (NLT)Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations.
Context of Galatians 2:4
2And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 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), 5to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.
Read all of Galatians 2Galatians 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And thatδέde · thenG1161
- because ofδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- false brethrenψευδάδελφοςpseudadelphos · false brotherG5569
- unawares brought inπαρείσακτοςpareisaktos · infiltratedG3920
- whoὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- came in privilyπαρεισέρχομαιpareiserchomai · to come inG3922
- to spy outκατασκοπέωkataskopeō · to spyG2684
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- libertyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- libertyἐλευθερίαeleutheria · freedomG1657
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- we haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- they might bringκαταδουλόωkatadouloō · to enslaveG2615
Cross-references for Galatians 2:4
- Galatians 5:10I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
- Acts 15:1And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
- Acts 20:30Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
- 2 Corinthians 11:13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
- 1 John 4:1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- 2 Timothy 3:6For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
- 2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
- Jude 1:4For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 3:23But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
- Galatians 5:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
- Psalms 51:12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
- Psalms 119:45And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts.
- John 8:31Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
- 2 Corinthians 3:17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
- 1 Peter 2:16as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
- 2 Peter 2:19While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries