27 Bible Verses about Circumcision, spiritual

For he is not a real Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something outward and in the flesh. He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, and not by the written code. His praise is not from men but from God.

Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a breaker of the law.

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

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.

since there is one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through their faith.

Even so Abraham "believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

Is this blessedness only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it reckoned to him? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be reckoned to them.read more.
And he is also the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Then what advantage has the Jew, or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way! To begin with, they are entrusted with the oracles of God.

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, reporting the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brethren.read more.
When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up, and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the Law of Moses." The apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us; and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. Now therefore why do you test God by putting upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are." All the assembly kept silent; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for his name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,' says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago. Therefore it is my judgment that we should not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,

Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them."

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said,

And opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separate himself, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.read more.
But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of them all, "If you, being a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? "We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law will no flesh be justified.

It was for freedom that Christ has set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.read more.
You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.

But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had slipped in to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. We did not yield to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.read more.
I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and the one who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But if I, brethren, still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. I wish that those who are troubling you would mutilate themselves!

Those who want to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.

Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those mutilators of the body. For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh,

For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision. They must be silenced, because they are upsetting whole families by teaching things they ought not to teach for the sake of sordid gain.

In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free, but Christ is all, and in all.

though I myself have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.read more.
But whatever was gain to me, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count everything to be loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith,

In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our sins,

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be reckoned to them.

Now it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us; he has put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

In him, you also have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having also believed, you were sealed in him with the promised Holy Spirit,