¹⁸ Consider ^(A)the people of Israel:^{[a] (B)}are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?

³ For ^(A)we are the circumcision, ^(B)who worship ^(C)by the Spirit of God^[a] and ^(D)glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ^4 (E)though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ^5 (F)circumcised on the eighth day, ^(G)of the people of Israel, ^(H)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(I)a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^(J)a Pharisee;

¹⁶ And as for all who walk by this rule, ^(A)peace and mercy be upon them, and upon ^(B)the Israel of God.

^6 (A)Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place. ^(B)It is most holy.

¹¹ And the priest shall burn it on the altar as ^(A)a food offering to the Lord.

One in Christ

¹¹ Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called ^(A)the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ¹² remember ^(B)that you were at that time separated from Christ, ^(C)alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to ^(D)the covenants of promise, ^(E)having no hope and without God in the world.

¹⁸ Since ^(A)many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. ¹⁹ For you gladly bear with fools, ^(B)being wise yourselves! ²⁰ For you bear it if someone ^(C)makes slaves of you, or ^(D)devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or ^(E)strikes you in the face. ²¹ To my shame, I must say, ^(F)we were too weak for that!

But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. ²² Are they Hebrews? ^(G)So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.

¹³ Do you not know that ^(A)those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?

¹² and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.