31 Bible Verses about Circumcision, spiritual

Jehovah your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, to LOVE JEHOVAH YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR BEING, that you may live.

Behold, heaven and the highest heavens belong to Jehovah your God, even the earth and all that is in it. Yet Jehovah set his affection on your fathers. He loved them. He chose you their descendants above all peoples, as it is this day. Circumcise your heart, and do not stiffen your neck. (Circumcise: Cut short the foreskin.) (Remove hardness of the heart.)

Be circumcised by Jehovah, and get rid of the foreskins of your hearts (cleanse your hearts), people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. If you do not, my fury will blaze like a fire. It will burn, and no one will be able to put it out. This is because of the evil you do.

He is not a Jew who is one on the outside. Neither is circumcision that which is on the outside in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is so on the inside with circumcision of the heart, in spirit, not in letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Circumcision is a benefit if you obey the law. But if you are a transgressor of the law your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. If therefore someone not circumcised obeys the requirements of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be considered circumcision? The uncircumcised person is by nature, fulfilling the law. He will judge you because you transgress the law with your written code and circumcision.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing. Obey the commandments of God.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision means anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

If God is one he will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith.

Abraham believed God and Jehovah considered his faith as his righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

He believed in Jehovah. Jehovah considered Abram's faith as his righteousness.

Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say: To Abraham his faith was counted for righteousness. How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision: He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith that he had while he was not circumcised. That way he could be the father of all those who believe, though they are not circumcised, that righteousness might be counted to them.read more.
The father of circumcision to those who not only are circumcised, but who also walk in the steps of faith of our father Abraham that he had when he was not circumcised.

What then is the superiority of the Jew? What is the benefit of circumcision? Much in every way. First they were entrusted with the oracles of God.

Some men came down from Judea to teach the brothers. They said: You cannot be saved unless you become circumcised according to the custom of Moses. Paul and Barnabas had an intense (harsh) dispute and debate with them. They concluded that Paul, Barnabas, and others should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders to settle this question. The congregation sent them on their way. They passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations. They brought great joy to all the brothers.read more.
Then they went to Jerusalem where the apostles and elders and congregation greeted them. They declared all the things that God had done for them. The believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stated: It is needed to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses. The apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. After much discussion Peter got up and said: Men and brothers you know that God made a choice among us, that I would preach the good news to the nations that they may hear and believe. God knows their hearts and showed that he accepted them by giving them Holy Spirit just as he did to us. He made no distinction between them and us and purified their hearts by faith. Why do you test God by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, one that our fathers were not able to bear? We believe we are saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, as they also are. The crowd kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul. They declared the miracles and wonders God performed through them among the people of the nations. When they finished talking James said: Brothers listen to me: Simeon declared how God first visited the nations to take out of them a people for his name. The words of the prophets agree to this for it is written: I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. I will rebuild its ruins. I will restore it. (Amos 9:11,12) That the rest of mankind might seek after Jehovah, and all the nations, upon whom my name is called, Jehovah said, who is doing these things. (Amos 9:12) Known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Therefore it is my decision not to trouble those of the nations who have turned to God.

The apostles and brothers in Judea heard that the people of the nations also received the word of God. When Peter went to Jerusalem, those who favored circumcision argued with him. They said: You went to the uncircumcised and ate with them.

Holy Spirit descended on all who heard the message Peter spoke. Those circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of Holy Spirit was also poured out on the people of the nations. They heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then Peter responded:

Peter opened his mouth, and said, I truly perceive that God shows no partiality.

When Cephas came to Antioch, I openly resisted him because he was completely wrong. He ate with the people of the nations until some men James sent arrived. When they arrived, he drew back and separated himself. He feared those who were of the circumcised people. The rest of the Jews were hypocrites with him, so much that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.read more.
I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the good news. Therefore I said to Cephas, in front of them all: If you, being a Jew, live as the nations do and not as the Jews, why do you compel the people of the nations to live like the Jews? We are Jews by birth, and not sinners from the nations. Yet we know that a man is not righteous by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. We believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be righteous by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law. The works of the law justify no one.

Christ liberated us for freedom (moral liberty). Stand fast therefore, and do not become entangled again in a yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say to you, that, if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision. He is under obligation to obey the whole Law.read more.
You who seek to be righteous by Law are separated from Christ. You have fallen away from grace. For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision means anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

Titus was with me and he was not persuaded to be circumcised. He is a Greek. This occurred because of the false brothers brought in secretly. They came to spy out our liberty that we have in Christ Jesus. This was so they might bring us into bondage. We did not yield to them for a moment or an hour! That way the truth of the good news (the whole body of Christian teachings) might continue with you.

This way the blessing of Abraham might come upon the nations through Christ Jesus and we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

You were running well! Who hindered you that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion did not come from him who calls you. A little leaven, leavens (ferments) the whole lump.read more.
I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view. And he that troubles you will bear his judgment, who ever he is. But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then has the stumbling block of the stake been done away? I would that they that unsettle you would even go beyond circumcision.

Those who desire to make a showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised. This is done so they may not be persecuted for the stake of Christ. For not even those who receive circumcision obey the Law. They desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.

Beware of the dogs (impure men) (false teachers)! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilation of the body. We are those with true circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God. We glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh.

There are many unruly (rebellious) men, vain talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision. They must be stopped. Their mouths must be shut up, for they subvert entire households. They teach things that should not be taught, for the sake of dishonest gain.

You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ. You have been buried with him in baptism. You were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all and in all.

I might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks to have confidence in the flesh, I have more! I was circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.read more.
Things that offered gain to me I count a loss for Christ. I count all things to be loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. I suffered the loss of all things. Yet I count them as refuse (garbage) (dung) that I may gain Christ. I want to be united with him. I no longer want a righteousness of my own that is gained by obeying the law. The righteousness from God is by faith in Christ.

You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ. You have been buried with him in baptism. You were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.

He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith that he had while he was not circumcised. That way he could be the father of all those who believe, though they are not circumcised, that righteousness might be counted to them.

He who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God. He also sealed us, and gave us the guarantee of the Spirit in our hearts.

You have heard the word of the truth in Christ. It is the good news about your salvation. You also believed and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.