Galatians 2:3

George Lamsa Translation

And Titus, also, who was with me, being Syrian, was not compelled to be circumcised,

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

King James Version (1611)
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greeke, was compelled to be circumcised:

King James Version
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

English Standard Version
But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.

New American Standard Bible
But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

New Century Version
Titus was with me, but he was not forced to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

Amplified Bible
But [all went well, for] not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled [as some had anticipated] to be circumcised, despite the fact that he was a Greek.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

Legacy Standard Bible
But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

Berean Standard Bible
Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

Contemporary English Version
Titus went to Jerusalem with me. He was a Greek, but still he wasn't forced to be circumcised.

Complete Jewish Bible
But they didn't force my Gentile companion Titus to undergo b'rit-milah.

Darby Translation
(but neither was Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, compelled to be circumcised;)

Easy-to-Read Version
Titus, who was with me, is a Greek. But these leaders still did not force him to be circumcised.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But neither yet Titus which was with me, though he were a Grecian, was compelled to be circumcised,

Good News Translation
My companion Titus, even though he is Greek, was not forced to be circumcised,

Lexham English Bible
But not even Titus who was with me, although he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

Literal Translation
But not even Titus, the one with me, a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

American Standard Version
But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

Bible in Basic English
But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was made to undergo circumcision:

Hebrew Names Version
But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Yevanit, was compelled to be circumcised.

International Standard Version
But not even Titus, who was with me, was forced to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

Etheridge Translation
Titos also who was with me, who was an Aramoya, was not constrained to be circumcised.

Murdock Translation
Also Titus, who was with me, and was a Gentile, was not compelled to be circumcised.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But neither Titus which was with me, beyng a Greke, was compelled to be circumcised,

English Revised Version
But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

World English Bible
But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
(But neither was Titus, who was with me,

Weymouth's New Testament
But although my companion Titus was a Greek they did not insist upon even his being circumcised.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And nother Tite, that hadde be with me, while he was hethene, was compellid to be circumsidid;

Update Bible Version
But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

Webster's Bible Translation
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

New English Translation
Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek.

New King James Version
Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

New Living Translation
And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile.

New Life Bible
Titus was with me. Even being a Greek, he did not have to go through the religious act of becoming a Jew.

New Revised Standard
But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised; -

Douay-Rheims Bible
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Gentile, was compelled to be circumcised.

Revised Standard Version
But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Also Titus which was with me though he were a Greke yet was not compelled to be circumcised

Young's Literal Translation
but not even Titus, who [is] with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised --

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Titus which was also with me, was not compelled to be circucysed, though he was a Greke:

Mace New Testament (1729)
however, Titus who was then with me, being a Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised:

Simplified Cowboy Version
They all agreed with me. They didn't even ask Titus, who was a Gentile outsider, to have his pickle clipped.

Contextual Overview

¹ THEN, fourteen years later, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. ² And I went up because of a revelation, and I declared to them the gospel which I preached among the Gentiles, and I privately explained to those who were considered leaders among us, lest by any means I had labored, or should labor in vain. ³ And Titus, also, who was with me, being Syrian, was not compelled to be circumcised, ⁴ But because of the false brethren who had been brought in unknown to us to spy out the freedom which we have in Jesus Christ, with the intention of enslaving us; ⁵ To those false brothers we did not submit, not even for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. ⁶ Now those who were considered to be important (what they are makes no difference to me, for God does not discriminate among men), even these very persons did not contribute additional knowledge to me. ⁷ But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was entrusted to me, as the gospel of the circumcision was entrusted to Peter, ⁸ (For he who made Cephas vigorous in the apostleship of the circumcision, has also made me mighty in the apostleship of the Gentiles:) ⁹ And when they knew that the grace had been given to me, then James, Cephas, and John, who were considered to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship; that we might labor among the Gentiles, and they, among the people of circumcision. ¹⁰ Only they would that we should remember the poor; and that I have endeavored to do.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Galatians 5:2-6, Acts 15:24, Acts 16:3, 1 Corinthians 9:20, 1 Corinthians 9:21

Reciprocal: Proverbs 28:4 - but John 12:20 - Greeks Acts 14:1 - Greeks Acts 15:1 - ye 1 Corinthians 2:15 - yet 2 Corinthians 2:13 - Titus Galatians 2:1 - Titus Galatians 2:14 - why Galatians 5:11 - if Galatians 6:12 - they constrain Philippians 3:2 - the Philippians 4:21 - The Titus 1:4 - Titus

Cross-References

Genesis 2:2
And on the sixth day God, finished his works which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his works which he had made.

Genesis 2:3
So God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because in it he had rested from all his works which God created and made.

Genesis 2:4
These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed Adam out of the soil of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Genesis 2:8
And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:10
And a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it divided and became into four heads.

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which encircles the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

Genesis 2:12
And the gold of that land is good; there is also beryllium and the onyx stone.

Genesis 2:13
And the name of the second river is Gihon, the one which encircles the whole land of Ethiopia.

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third river is Deklat (Tigris); it is the one which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek,.... There was such an agreement between the apostle, and his fellow apostles at Jerusalem, even about this article of the necessity of circumcision, and other rituals of the law of Moses, to salvation; that Titus, whom he brought along with him, an intimate companion of his in his travels, a fellow labourer with him in the ministry, and now upon the spot, though he was a Gentile, an uncircumcised person, yet even not he

was compelled to be circumcised: the elders did not urge it, or insist upon it, as proper and necessary; they looked upon it as a thing indifferent, left him to his liberty, and made use of no forcible methods to oblige him to it; yea, were of opinion, as Peter and James in the synod declared, that such a yoke ought not to be put upon the necks of the disciples, and that those who turned to God from among the Gentiles, should not be troubled with these things.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But neither Titus, who was with me - Paul introduces this case of Titus undoubtedly to show that circumcision was not necessary for salvation. It was a case just in point. He had gone up to Jerusalem with the express reference to this question. Here was a man whom he had admitted to the Christian church without circumcising him. He claimed that he had a right to do so; and that circumcision was not necessary in order for salvation. If it were necessary, it would have been proper that Titus should have been compelled to submit to it. But Paul that says this was not demanded; or if demanded by anyone, the point was yielded, and he was not compelled to be circumcised. It is to be remembered that this was at Jerusalem; that it was a case submitted to the apostles there; and that consequently the determination of this case settled the whole controversy about the obligation of the Mosaic laws on the Gentile converts.

It is quite evident from the whole statement here that Paul did not intend that Titus should be circumcised; that he maintained that it was not necessary; and that he resisted it when it was demanded; Galatians 2:4-5. Yet on another occasion he himself performed the act of circumcision upon Timothy; Acts 16:3. But there is no inconsistency in Paul’s conduct. In the case of Titus, it was demanded as a matter of right and as obligatory upon him, and Paul resisted the principle as dangerous. In the case of Timothy, it was a voluntary compliance on his part with the usual customs of the Jews, where it was not pressed as a matter of obligation, and where it would not be understood as indispensable to salvation. No danger would follow from compliance with the custom, and it might do much to conciliate the favor of the Jews, and he therefore submitted to it. Paul would not have hesitated to have circumcised Titus in the same circumstances in which it was done to Timothy; but the circumstances were different; and when it was insisted upon as a matter of principle and of obligation, it became a matter of principle and of obligation with him to oppose it.

Being a Greek - Born of Gentile parents, of course he had not been circumcised. Probably both his parents were Greeks. The case with Timothy was somewhat different. His mother was a Jewess, but his father was a Greek Acts 16:3.

Was compelled to be circumcised - I think it is implied here that this was demanded and insisted on by some that he should be circumcised. It is also implied that Paul resisted it, and the point was yielded, thus settling the great and important principle that it was not necessary in order for salvation; see Galatians 2:5.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Galatians 2:3. But neither Titus, who was with me — The apostle proceeds to state that his account was so satisfactory to the apostles, that they not only did not require him to insist on the necessity of circumcision among the Gentiles, but did not even require him to have Titus, who was a Greek, circumcised; though that might have appeared expedient, especially at Jerusalem, to have prevented false brethren from making a handle of his uncircumcision, and turning it to the prejudice of the Gospel in Judea.

To spy out our liberty — The Judaizing brethren got introduced into the assembly of the apostles, in order to find out what was implied in the liberty of the Gospel, that they might know the better how to oppose St. Paul and his fellows in their preaching Christ to the Gentiles, and admitting them into the Church without obliging them to observe circumcision and keep the law. The apostle saw that while such men were in the assembly it was better not to mention his mission among the Gentiles, lest, by means of those false brethren, occasion should be given to altercations and disputes; therefore he took the opportunity, by private conferences, to set the whole matter, relative to his work among the Gentiles, before the chief of the apostles.