Galatians 2:3
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Original Language Analysis
ἀλλ'
But
G235
ἀλλ'
But
Strong's:
G235
Word #:
1 of 10
properly, other things, i.e., (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
ὁ
who
G3588
ὁ
who
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
4 of 10
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
σὺν
was with
G4862
σὺν
was with
Strong's:
G4862
Word #:
5 of 10
with or together (but much closer than g3326 or g3844), i.e., by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, additi
Cross References
Acts 16:3Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.2 Corinthians 2:13I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
Historical Context
In the first-century Jewish context, circumcision was the covenant sign of belonging to God's people (Genesis 17). For Judaizers, requiring Gentiles to be circumcised seemed like preserving biblical faithfulness. Paul's insistence that Titus remain uncircumcised was shocking—it suggested the old covenant boundary markers no longer defined God's people. Faith in Christ, not ethnic identity or ritual observance, now marked the people of God.
Questions for Reflection
- What modern "additions" to faith in Christ alone do Christians sometimes require for full acceptance?
- Why would requiring circumcision alongside faith in Christ constitute a different gospel altogether?
- In what areas might you be tempted to trust in religious performance rather than resting in Christ's finished work?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. The emphatic oude (οὐδέ, "not even") introduces Paul's test case: Titus, a Hellēn (Ἕλλην, pure Gentile), faced no anagkē (ἀνάγκη, "compulsion") to undergo peritemno (περιτέμνω, circumcision). This outcome was revolutionary—the Jerusalem apostles recognized that Gentile converts needed no ritual addition to faith in Christ.
Titus himself becomes a living theological argument: his uncircumcised status didn't diminish his standing as a genuine Christian. The passive verb ēnagkasthē (ἠναγκάσθη, "was compelled") emphasizes external pressure that was successfully resisted. Paul's refusal to circumcise Titus wasn't mere stubbornness but defense of the gospel itself—if circumcision were required, Christ's work would be insufficient.
This single verse encapsulates the entire Galatian controversy: are we justified by faith alone in Christ alone, or must we add human works to divine grace? Titus's uncircumcised acceptance by the Jerusalem apostles became precedent for all Gentile believers—salvation is complete in Christ, requiring no legal additions.