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Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

The NET Bible®

Romans 2:25

For circumcision has its value if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Circumcision;   Formalism;   Hypocrisy;   Minister, Christian;   Scofield Reference Index - Law of Moses;   The Topic Concordance - Circumcision;   Disobedience;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Circumcision;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Baptism;   Circumcision;   Mission;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Law;   Motives;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Judgment, Last;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James, the General Epistle of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Circumcision;   Fool;   Formalism;   Romans Epistle to the;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Uncircumcised;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Law of Moses, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Foreskin;   Justification;   Verily;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Circumcision;   Polemics and Polemical Literature;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
King James Version (1611)
For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keepe the Law: but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy Circumcision is made vncircumcision.
King James Version
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
English Standard Version
For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
New American Standard Bible
For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a violator of the Law, your circumcision has turned into uncircumcision.
New Century Version
If you follow the law, your circumcision has meaning. But if you break the law, it is as if you were never circumcised.
Amplified Bible
Circumcision [the sign of the covenant of Abraham] is indeed of value if you practice the Law; but if you habitually break the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision [it is meaningless in God's sight].
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Legacy Standard Bible
For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law, but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Berean Standard Bible
Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Contemporary English Version
Being circumcised is worthwhile, if you obey the Law. But if you don't obey the Law, you are no better off than people who are not circumcised.
Complete Jewish Bible
For circumcision is indeed of value if you do what Torah says. But if you are a transgressor of Torah, your circumcision has become uncircumcision!
Darby Translation
For circumcision indeed profits if thou keep [the] law; but if thou be a law-transgressor, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.
Easy-to-Read Version
If you follow the law, then your circumcision has meaning. But if you break the law, then it is as if you were never circumcised.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For circucision verely is profitable, if thou do the Lawe: but if thou be a transgressour of the Lawe, thy circumcision is made vncircumcision.
George Lamsa Translation
For circumcision is profitable only if you keep the law: but if you break the law, then circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
Good News Translation
If you obey the Law, your circumcision is of value; but if you disobey the Law, you might as well never have been circumcised.
Lexham English Bible
For circumcision is of value if you do the law, but if you should be a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Literal Translation
For indeed circumcision profits if you practice the Law, but if you are a transgressor of Law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
American Standard Version
For circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.
Bible in Basic English
It is true that circumcision is of use if you keep the law, but if you go against the law it is as if you had it not.
Hebrew Names Version
For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
International Standard Version
For circumcision is valuable if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.Galatians 5:3;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
For circumcision profiteth, if thou accomplish the law; but if thou transgress the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcisedness.
Murdock Translation
For circumcision profiteth, indeed, if thou fulfillest the law: but if thou departest from the law, thy circumcision becometh uncircumcision.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For circumcision veryly auayleth, yf thou kepe the lawe: But yf thou be a breaker of the lawe, thy circumcision is made vncircumcision.
English Revised Version
For circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.
World English Bible
For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou keepest the law; but if thou art a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.
Weymouth's New Testament
Circumcision does indeed profit, if you obey the Law; but if you are a Law-breaker, the fact that you have been circumcised counts for nothing.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For circumcisioun profitith, if thou kepe the lawe; but if thou be a trespassour ayens the lawe, thi circumsicioun is maad prepucie.
Update Bible Version
For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law: but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Webster's Bible Translation
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keepest the law; but if thou art a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
New King James Version
For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
New Living Translation
The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God's law. But if you don't obey God's law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile.
New Life Bible
Going through the religious act of becoming a Jew is worth something if you obey the Law. If you do not obey the Law, it is worth nothing to you.
New Revised Standard
Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, circumcision, indeed, profiteth - if, law, thou be practising; but, if thou be a transgressor of law, thy circumcision, hath become, uncircumcision
Douay-Rheims Bible
Circumcision profiteth indeed, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Revised Standard Version
Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Circumcisio verely avayleth if thou kepe the lawe. But if thou breake the lawe thy circumcision is made vncircumcision.
Young's Literal Translation
For circumcision, indeed, doth profit, if law thou mayest practise, but if a transgressor of law thou mayest be, thy circumcision hath become uncircumcision.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The circucision verely avayleth, yf thou kepe the lawe: but yf thou breake the lawe, then is thy circumcision become vncircumcision.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Circumcision indeed is an advantage, if you keep the law: but if you violate the law, your being a Jew makes you no better than a heathen.
THE MESSAGE
Circumcision, the surgical ritual that marks you as a Jew, is great if you live in accord with God's law. But if you don't, it's worse than not being circumcised. The reverse is also true: The uncircumcised who keep God's ways are as good as the circumcised—in fact, better. Better to keep God's law uncircumcised than break it circumcised. Don't you see: It's not the cut of a knife that makes a Jew. You become a Jew by who you are. It's the mark of God on your heart, not of a knife on your skin, that makes a Jew. And recognition comes from God, not legalistic critics.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Havin' your pickle clipped is great if you're following the Code, but if you ain't, you're missing more than just a piece of yourself.

Contextual Overview

17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relationship to God 18 and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth— 21 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law! 24 For just as it is written, " the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you ." 25 For circumcision has its value if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

circumcision: Romans 2:28, Romans 2:29, Romans 3:1, Romans 3:2, Romans 4:11, Romans 4:12, Deuteronomy 30:6, Jeremiah 4:4, Galatians 5:3-6, Galatians 6:15, Ephesians 2:11, Ephesians 2:12

but if: Romans 2:23, Jeremiah 9:25, Jeremiah 9:26, Acts 7:51

Reciprocal: Genesis 17:23 - circumcised John 6:63 - the flesh Acts 10:35 - in Romans 2:13 - For not 1 Corinthians 7:19 - Circumcision Galatians 5:6 - in Philippians 3:3 - we Hebrews 2:16 - verily Hebrews 4:2 - did James 2:14 - What

Cross-References

Genesis 2:10
Now a river flows from Eden to water the orchard, and from there it divides into four headstreams.
Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon; it runs through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.
Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Exodus 32:25
Moses saw that the people were running wild, for Aaron had let them get completely out of control, causing derision from their enemies.
Psalms 25:3
Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated. Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted and humiliated.
Psalms 31:17
O Lord , do not let me be humiliated, for I call out to you! May evil men be humiliated! May they go wailing to the grave!
Isaiah 44:9
All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.
Isaiah 47:3
Let your private parts be exposed! Your genitals will be on display! I will get revenge; I will not have pity on anyone,"
Isaiah 54:4
Don't be afraid, for you will not be put to shame! Don't be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated! You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth; you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment.
Jeremiah 6:15
Are they ashamed because they have done such shameful things? No, they are not at all ashamed. They do not even know how to blush! So they will die, just like others have died. They will be brought to ruin when I punish them," says the Lord .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For circumcision verily profiteth,.... The plea from circumcision in favour of the Jews, and their acceptance with God, and justification before him, is here, and in the following verses, considered. The apostle allows that circumcision was profitable; which must be understood whilst it was in force, before the abrogation of it, for since, it is not profitable but pernicious; and then it was only profitable, in case the law was kept:

if thou keepest the law; that is, perfectly; for circumcision obliged persons to keep the whole law. Now the circumcised Jews did not keep it in such sense; wherefore circumcision was of no use to them, but, on the contrary, was an handwriting against them.

But if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision; that is, it is not accounted circumcision; it is of no avail; such a man was all one as an uncircumcised Gentile, and appeared to be uncircumcised in a spiritual sense: the apostle perhaps alludes to a practice among some of the Jews, to bring on and draw over the foreskin, after they had been circumcised; :-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For circumcision - John 7:22 note; Acts 7:8 note. This was the special rite by which the relation to the covenant of Abraham was recognised; or by which the right to all the privileges of a member of the Jewish commonwealth was acknowledged. The Jews of course affixed a high importance to the rite.

Verily profiteth - Is truly a benefit; or is an advantage. The meaning is, that their being recognised as members of the Jewish commonwealth, and introduced to the privileges of the Jew, was an advantage; see Romans 3:1-2. The apostle was not disposed to deny that they possessed this advantage, but he tells them why it was a benefit, and how it might fail of conferring any favor.

If thou keep the law - The mere sign can be of no value, The mere fact of being a Jew is not what God requires. It may be a favor to have his Law, but the mere possession of the Law cannot entitle to the favor of God. So it is a privilege to be born in a Christian land; to have had pious parents; to be amidst the ordinances of religion; to be trained in Sundayschools; and to be devoted to God in baptism: for all these are favorable circumstances for salvation. But none of them entitle to the favor of God; and unless they are improved as they should be, they may be only the means of increasing our condemnation; 2 Corinthians 2:16.

Thy circumcision is made uncircumcision - Thy circumcision, or thy being called a Jew, is of no value. It will not distinguish you from those who are not circumcised. You will be treated as a pagan. No external advantages, no name, or rite, or ceremony will save you. God requires the obedience of the heart and of the life. Where there is a disposition to render that, there is an advantage in possessing the external means of grace. Where that is missing, no rite or profession can save. This applies with as much force to those who have been baptized in infancy, and to those who have made a profession of religion in a Christian church, as to the Jew.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. For circumcision verily profiteth — It is a blessing to belong to the Church of God and wear the sign of the covenant, provided the terms of the covenant are complied with.

But if thou be a breaker of the law — If thou do not observe the conditions of the covenant, the outward sign is both without meaning and without effect. This was a maxim of the rabbins themselves; for they allowed that an apostate or ungodly Israelite must go to hell, notwithstanding his circumcision.


 
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