The Greek verb eikō means to give way, yield, or submit — used of relenting before pressure or authority. In the New Testament it appears only once, in Galatians 2:5, where Paul describes his refusal to yield to those demanding circumcision of Titus.
Paul's single use of eikō in Galatians 2:5 is a watershed moment in the history of the gospel: 'We did not yield (eikō) in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.' Paul's refusal to yield was not stubbornness but gospel faithfulness — the freedom of believers from circumcision as a requirement for salvation hung in the balance. Knowing when to yield and when not to yield is a crucial mark of gospel wisdom.