^2:4Now this matter arose⁹ because of the false brothers with false pretenses¹⁰ who slipped in unnoticed to spy on¹¹ our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, to make us slaves.¹² ^2:5But¹³ we did not surrender to them¹⁴ even for a moment,¹⁵ in order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.¹⁶

Read in Logos

Footnotes

9 No subject and verb are expressed in vv. 4–5, but the phrase “Now this matter arose,” implied from v. 3, was supplied to make a complete English sentence.
10 The adjective παρεισάκτους (pareisaktous), which relates to someone joining a group with false motives or false pretenses, applies to the “false brothers.” Although the expression “false brothers with false pretenses” is somewhat redundant, it captures the emphatic force of Paul’s expression, which labels both these “brothers” as false (ψευδαδέλφους, pseudadelphous) as well as their motives. See L&N 34.29 for more information.
11 The verb translated here as “spy on” (κατασκοπέω, kataskopeō) can have a neutral nuance, but here the connotation is certainly negative (so F. F. Bruce, Galatians [], , and E. Burton, Galatians [], ).
12 Grk “in order that they might enslave us.” The ἵνα (hina) clause with the subjunctive verb καταδουλώσουσιν (katadoulōsousin) has been translated as an English infinitival clause.
13 Grk “slaves, nor did we …” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, οὐδέ (oude) was translated as “But … even” and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 5.
14 Or “we did not cave in to their demands.”
15 Grk “even for an hour” (an idiom for a very short period of time).
16 In order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. Paul evidently viewed the demands of the so-called “false brothers” as a departure from the truth contained in the gospel he preached. This was a very serious charge (see Gal 1:8).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

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— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us. But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would be preserved for you.

NLTNew Living Translation

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. But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now this was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order that they might enslave us, to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, in order that the truth of the gospel might remain continually with you.

KJV 1900King James Version

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

Public Domain