Romans 2:25
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Romans 2:25 in other translations
| BSB | Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. |
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| WEB | 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. |
| ASV | 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. |
| YLT | For circumcision, indeed, doth profit, if law thou mayest practise, but if a transgressor of law thou mayest be, thy circumcision hath become uncircumcision. |
| DARBY | For circumcision indeed profits if thou keep the law; but if thou be a law-transgressor, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. |
| BBE | 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. |
| Webster | For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keepest the law; but if thou art a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. |
What does Romans 2:25 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 2:25-29
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
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 Rom 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 favour.
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 favour to have his law, but the mere possession of the law cannot entitle to the favour 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 Sunday-schools; and to be devoted to God in baptism: for all these are favourable circumstances for salvation. But none of them entitle to the favour of God; and unless they are improved as they should be, they may be only the means of increasing our condemnation, 2Cor 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 heathen. 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 wanting, 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.
(f) "but if thou" Gal 5:3
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 2:25-29
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Romans 2:25 in the original Greek
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Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Romans 2:25
- Galatians 5:3-6
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
- Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
- Galatians 6:15
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
- Acts 7:51
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
- Deuteronomy 30:6
And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
- Jeremiah 9:25-26
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
- Romans 2:23
Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
- Romans 2:28-3:2
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
- Ephesians 2:11-12
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
- Romans 4:11-12
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Romans 2:24
For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
- Romans 2:25
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
- Romans 2:26
Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Romans 2:25 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Porque la circuncisión en verdad aprovecha, si guardares la ley; mas si eres rebelde á la ley, tu circuncisión es hecha incircuncisión. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Car en effet la circoncision est profitable si tu accomplis la loi; mais si tu es transgresseur de la loi, ta circoncision est devenue incirconcision. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Denn Beschneidung ist wohl nütze, wenn du das Gesetz tust; wenn du aber ein Gesetzesübertreter bist, so ist deine Beschneidung Vorhaut geworden. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Circumcisio quidem prodest, si legem observes: si autem prævaricator legis sis, circumcisio tua præputium facta est. |