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:
And that - i:e., My and their not permitting Titus to be circumcised wan not from contempt of circumcision, but 'on account of the false brethren' (Acts 15:1; Acts 15:24) who, had we yielded to their demand, would have perverted the case into a proof that we deemed circumcision necessary.
Unawares - in an underhand manner, intrusively х pareisaktous (G3920)] brought in.
Who [ hoitines (G3748 ), being such as] came in privily - stealthily.
To spy out - as foes in the guise of friends-wishing to rob us of our liberty-from the ceremonial yoke. If they had found that we circumcised Titus through fear of the apostles, they would have made that a ground for imposing the legal yoke on the Gentiles.
That they might bring us into bondage. The х katadouloosousin (G2615)] future implies the resulting certainty and continuance of the bondage: 'that (or whereby) they shall completely х kata (G2596)] enslave us.'