Circumcision of the Heart

25 Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.(A) 26 So if an uncircumcised(B) man keeps the law’s requirements,(C) will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you(D) who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly,(E) and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. 29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly,(F) and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter.[a](G) That person’s praise is not from people but from God.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 2:29 Or heart—spiritually, not literally

25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you (A)practice [a]the Law; but if you are a violator [b]of the Law, (B)your circumcision has turned into uncircumcision. 26 (C)So if (D)the [c]uncircumcised man (E)keeps the requirements of the Law, will his uncircumcision not be regarded as circumcision? 27 And (F)he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not (G)judge you who [d]though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a violator [e]of the Law? 28 For (H)he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But (I)he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and (J)circumcision is of the heart, by the (K)Spirit, not by the letter; (L)and his praise is not from people, but from God.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 2:25 Or law
  2. Romans 2:25 Or of law
  3. Romans 2:26 Lit uncircumcision
  4. Romans 2:27 Lit through the letter
  5. Romans 2:27 Or of law

25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law,(A) but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.(B) 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements,(C) will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?(D) 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you(E) who, even though you have the[a] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly,(F) nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.(G) 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,(H) by the Spirit,(I) not by the written code.(J) Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 2:27 Or who, by means of a