What Does the Bible Say About Circumcision?

1. #11 Corinthians 7:19

   Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

   BSBCircumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

2. #2Jeremiah 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.

   BSBCircumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.”

3. #3Galatians 5:2-11

   Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 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. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? …

   BSBTake notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love. You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth? …

4. #4Genesis 21:4

   And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

   BSBWhen his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him.

5. #5Romans 2:25-29

   For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 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.

   BSBCircumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

6. #6Galatians 6:15

   For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

   BSBFor neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.

7. #7Genesis 17:10-14

   This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

   BSBThis is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring. Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant. But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

8. #8Romans 4:11

   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:

   BSBAnd he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.

9. #9Galatians 5:6

   For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

   BSBFor in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.

10. #10Philippians 3:3

    For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

    BSBFor it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

11. #11Galatians 2:3

    But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

    BSBYet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

12. #12Deuteronomy 10:16

    Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

    BSBCircumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.

13. #13Luke 2:21

    And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

    BSBWhen the eight days until His circumcision had passed, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived.

14. #14Acts 15:1-41

    And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. …

    BSBThen some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers. On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them. But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter. …

15. #15Romans 2:28

    For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

    BSBA man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.

16. #16Leviticus 12:3

    And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

    BSBAnd on the eighth day the flesh of the boy’s foreskin is to be circumcised.

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Circumcision in Nave's Topical Bible

Circumcision in Torrey's Topical Textbook