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 there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. 3And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile. 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. 5But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you. 6And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.)

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

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 am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.
• Acts 15:1While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
• Acts 20:30Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.
• 2 Corinthians 11:13These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.
• 1 John 4:1Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
• 2 Timothy 3:6They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires.
• 2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.
• Jude 1:4I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
• Galatians 3:23Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.
• Galatians 5:1So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
• Psalms 51:12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
• Psalms 119:45I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
• John 8:31Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.
• 2 Corinthians 3:17For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
• 1 Peter 2:16For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.
• 2 Peter 2:19They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.

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