2:3

In 2:3, Paul gave some evidence that he had not run in vain. He gave some evidence that the leaders in Jerusalem approved the gospel that he preached. Paul did not state this explicitly, but he showed that they agreed by telling the Galatians that the leaders did not force Titus to be circumcised.

2:3a

Yet: There is a contrast between 2:2 and 2:3. The contrast is between what Paul feared might happen and what actually happened. He was concerned that the leaders would not agree with him. He was concerned that he had “run in vain” (2:2). But the leaders did agree with him and his message. Paul did not directly state that they agreed. He showed that they agreed with him by telling about Titus.

Some English versions, such the Berean Standard Bible and New International Version, indicate this contrast with the conjunction Yet. Other English versions, such the English Standard Version and New American Standard Bible, indicate this contrast with the conjunction “but.”

In some languages, it might be necessary to make some of this information explicit. For example:

But I was not running in vain.
-or-
And they did agree (New Living Translation (1996))

not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised: The words not even focus attention on the proof that the church leaders agreed with Paul’s message. The proof was that they did not even require a Gentile to be circumcised. If the church leaders had not agreed with Paul, they would have required that Titus be circumcised. He was right there when they made the decision. But they did not require him to be circumcised. This proved that they agreed with Paul that God accepted Gentile Christians even if they were not circumcised.

Another way to translate this clause is:

They did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised (New Living Translation (1996))

Titus, who was with me: The clause who was with me is a relative clause. It describes Titus. In some languages, using this type of relative clause here would imply that there was another Titus, a Titus who was not with Paul. Even though there were certainly other men with that name, that is not the point here. In those languages, it would be better to translate these words without using a relative clause. For example:

Titus was with me (God’s Word)
-or-
my companion Titus (New Living Translation (2004))

was compelled: The phrase was compelled is passive.

Some ways to translate this phrase are:

• Use a passive clause. For example:

he was not forced (New Century Version)

• Use an active clause. For example:

no one forced (God’s Word)
-or-
they did not require/demand
-or-
they did not insist

circumcised: The word circumcised means “cut off the loose skin at the end of a boy’s penis.” Jews circumcised their sons as an act of obedience to the law.

In some cultures, it may be acceptable to use an explicit expression that means “cut off the loose skin at the end of a boy’s penis.” In other cultures, it may be necessary to use a euphemism to describe this event. Some examples are:

cut off some of the skin
-or-
receive the mark
-or-
ritual cutting
-or-
a mark of cutting

This is the first time that Paul mentioned circumcision in Galatians.

2:3b

even though he was a Greek: The fact that Titus was a Greek implies that he was not a Jew. So he had never been circumcised. (Most of the first Christians were Jews and had already been circumcised.) Nevertheless, the church leaders did not require Titus to be circumcised in order to be accepted as a believer.

In some languages, it may be clearer to put this clause earlier in the verse. For example:

3a Titus went to Jerusalem with me. 3b He was a Greek, 3a but still he wasn’t forced to be circumcised. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-

3a Titus was with me, 3b and although he is Greek, 3a no one forced him to be circumcised. (God’s Word)

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