Contemplative Bible Reading

Galatians 2:4 (four different translations)

New Living Translation: Even that question came up only because of some so-called Christians 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.

New 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.

King 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

Common English Bible: But false brothers and sisters, who were brought in secretly, slipped in to spy on our freedom, which we have in Christ Jesus, and to make us slaves.

This post is a little different from others. I have included four translations of this one verse. I tried to select four translations that would differ, but they all have the key word: spy. People walked into the early churches to spy.

What were these spies trying to learn? Who would use the intelligence they gathered?

The topic of conversation in these verses was that people were telling Gentiles the good news of Jesus. That telling of the gospel was a great freedom. Somehow, enemies of the church were going to enslave these sharers of the gospel by learning of this freedom.

These are significant words: freedom, slavery, spy. These significant words were being used concerning one question: Could believers share the gospel with everyone?

I don’t consider that question significant today. The answer is, “of course.” I don’t recall anyone debating that question in my lifetime. In some respects, we have come a long way in the right direction since the times of the early church.