Romans 2:25
◄  Romans 2:25  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.

New Living Translation (©2007)
The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God's law. But if you don't obey God's law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile.

English Standard Version (©2001)
For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
For circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

International Standard Version (©2012)
For circumcision is valuable if you observe the Law, but if you break the Law, your having been circumcised has no more value than if you were uncircumcised.

NET Bible (©2006)
For circumcision has its value if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
For circumcision is beneficial, if you will perfectly observe The Written Law, but if you depart from The Written Law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
For example, circumcision is valuable if you follow Moses' laws. If you don't follow those laws, your circumcision amounts to uncircumcision.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
For circumcision verily profits, if you keep the law: but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision.

American King James Version
For circumcision truly profits, if you keep the law: but if you be a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision.

American Standard Version
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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Circumcision profiteth indeed, if thou keep the law; but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

Darby Bible Translation
For circumcision indeed profits if thou keep the law; but if thou be a law-transgressor, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.

English Revised Version
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keepest the law; but if thou art a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

Weymouth New Testament
Circumcision does indeed profit, if you obey the Law; but if you are a Law-breaker, the fact that you have been circumcised counts for nothing.

World English Bible
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.

Young's Literal Translation
For circumcision, indeed, doth profit, if law thou mayest practise, but if a transgressor of law thou mayest be, thy circumcision hath become uncircumcision.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:25-29 No forms, ordinances, or notions can profit, without regenerating grace, which will always lead to seeking an interest in the righteousness of God by faith. For he is no more a Christian now, than he was really a Jew of old, who is only one outwardly: neither is that baptism, which is outward in the flesh: but he is the real Christian, who is inwardly a true believer, with an obedient faith. And the true baptism is that of the heart, by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Ghost; bringing a spiritual frame of mind, and a willing following of truth in its holy ways. Let us pray that we may be made real Christians, not outwardly, but inwardly; in the heart and spirit, not in the letter; baptized, not with water only, but with the Holy Ghost; and let our praise be, not of men, but of God.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 25, 26. - For circumcision verily profiteth (not justifieth, but only profiteth: it is of advantage, and no unmeaning rite, if thou understandest and carriest out its meaning; it introduces thee into a state of knowledge and opportunity, and certainty of Divine favour), if thou keep the Law: but if thou be a transgressor of the Law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the Law, shall not his uncircumcision he counted for circumcision? Here, again, as in vers. 10, 11, 14, 15, the impartiality of God's dealings with all men alike is distinctly declared.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For circumcision verily profiteth,.... The plea from circumcision in favour of the Jews, and their acceptance with God, and justification before him, is here, and in the following verses, considered. The apostle allows that circumcision was profitable; which must be understood whilst it was in force, before the abrogation of it, for since, it is not profitable but pernicious; and then it was only profitable, in case the law was kept:

if thou keepest the law; that is, perfectly; for circumcision obliged persons to keep the whole law. Now the circumcised Jews did not keep it in such sense; wherefore circumcision was of no use to them, but, on the contrary, was an handwriting against them.

But if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision; that is, it is not accounted circumcision; it is of no avail; such a man was all one as an uncircumcised Gentile, and appeared to be uncircumcised in a spiritual sense: the apostle perhaps alludes to a practice among some of the Jews, to bring on and draw over the foreskin, after they had been circumcised; See Gill on 1 Corinthians 7:18.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

25-29. For circumcision—that is, One's being within the covenant of which circumcision was the outward sign and seal.

verily profiteth, if thou keep the law—if the inward reality correspond to the outward sign.

but if, &c.—that is, "Otherwise, thou art no better than the uncircumcised heathen."

Romans 2:25 Parallel Commentaries

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Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


The Jews and the Law
…24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. 25For circumcision truly profits, if you keep the law: but if you be a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? …

Jeremiah 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done-- burn with no one to quench it.
Jeremiah 9:25 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh--
Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
Romans 2:26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?
Romans 2:27 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 lawbreaker.
1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts.
Galatians 5:3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
Galatians 6:13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.