Rather than translating literally wanted it done, it may be better to indicate what it done refers to. These persons, who were simply the causative agents, not the actual agents of the circumcision, “wanted to have him circumcised” or “wanted to cause someone to circumcise him.”
This verse is an incomplete sentence in the Greek. How does it connect with what precedes and what follows? Did Paul mean to say that, because of the false brothers, he did have Titus circumcised? Or did the suggestion for Titus’ circumcision arise out of the presence of these false brothers (Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible)? Or again, did the false brothers themselves urge the circumcision of Titus, an idea which Paul rejected (Good News Translation)? The interpretation of verse 4 is closely linked with the interpretation of verse 3, particularly as to the question of whether Titus was circumcised or not. Good News Translation introduces the clause although some wanted it done as a means of helping to resolve at least certain aspects of the ambiguity in this passage.
Pretending to be fellow believers, these men is literally “the false brothers” (see Revised Standard Version). It may be that they themselves claimed to be a part of the fellowship, even if they were not. (This sense is captured by Revised Standard Version, compare New American Bible “Certain false claimants to the title of brother.”) It could mean, however, that this represents Paul’s own judgment; in other words, that the “false brethren” were really members of the fellowship, but in Paul’s judgment they should not have been (so Phillips “for the presence of some pseudo-Christians”; New English Bible “certain sham-Christians”). Pretending to be fellow believers, these men may be expressed in some languages as “some men who said they were fellow believers but were not,” or “some men who falsely claimed to be believers.”
Slipped into our group translates a combination of a verb and a verbal adjective (see below) which could be interpreted either in a passive sense, implying that these false brothers were brought in (New American Bible “certain false claimants to the title of brothers were smuggled in”); or in an active sense, which would mean that it was through their own initiative that they came in (Good News Translation, compare New English Bible “interlopers who had stolen in”; Jerusalem Bible “have furtively crept in”; Phillips “who wormed their way into our meeting”). In some languages the expression slipped into our group may be expressed as “insisted that they were also a part of our group,” “… part of the believers,” or “… one with the other believers.”
Slipped into our group as spies is a metaphorical expression, the figure being that of a spy who infiltrates an enemy camp. The expression consists of two Greek verbs, the first one meaning “to come in” but usually implying secrecy and stealth, and the second (literally “to spy out”) with the associated idea of hostile intent and with the purpose of destruction. Various translations endeavor to recapture the intensity of the metaphor (for example New American Bible “they wormed their way into the group to spy on”; Jerusalem Bible “who … have furtively crept in to spy”; Moffatt “who had crept in to spy out”). It may also be possible to say “they came in without people realizing what had happened, and they were just like spies.”
Freedom here is the Christian’s freedom from the bondage of the Jewish Law, of which circumcision is a key example. Paul characterized this freedom as the freedom we have through our union with Christ Jesus. The Greek itself (literally “which we have in Christ Jesus”) allows three possible meanings: (1) a causal relation, with Jesus being the cause of the freedom; (2) a relation of association, “in union with,” that is, describing a relationship with Jesus Christ characterized by close fellowship and communion (this is followed by most translations, for example, New English Bible “the liberty we enjoy in the fellowship of Christ Jesus”; New American Bible “the freedom we enjoy in Christ Jesus”; so also Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, Phillips, Knox); and (3) a combination of the first and second meanings, as in Good News Translation.
To find out about the freedom we have may be expressed in some languages as “to find out how free we are,” “… how we have been delivered,” or “… how we have become free.” In this context to find out should imply more than mere gathering of information. There is definite hostile intent.
The combined meaning of cause and fellowship may be expressed in some languages as “because we are united with Christ Jesus,” “… are one with Christ Jesus,” or “… are joined to Christ Jesus.”
Make slaves of us means “make us slaves to the Jewish Law.” The “us” may refer either to Paul and his companions or to Christians in general, including the Galatian Christians. If understood in the former sense, “us” would be translated in its exclusive form; but if in the latter sense, the inclusive form would be used.
The sentence They wanted to make slaves of us is essentially a metaphor. What these false brethren wished to do was to enslave believers to the system of Jewish ritual. The metaphorical usage may be indicated by shifting into the form of a simile, for example, “They wanted to make us just like slaves.” It may also be necessary in some instances to indicate precisely what kind of servitude is involved, for example, “They wanted us to be just like slaves in having to do exactly what the law said we must do,” or “… what the Jewish law prescribed.”
Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .