61 Bible Verses about Gentiles, In Nt

After His entry into Capernaum a Captain came to Him, and entreated Him. "Sir," he said, "my servant at home is lying ill with paralysis, and is suffering great pain." "I will come and cure him," said Jesus.read more.
"Sir," replied the Captain, "I am not a fit person to receive you under my roof: merely say the word, and my servant will be cured. For I myself am also under authority, and have soldiers under me. To one I say 'Go,' and he goes, to another 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave 'Do this or that,' and he does it." Jesus listened to this reply, and was astonished, and said to the people following Him, "I solemnly tell you that in no Israelite have I found faith as great as this. And I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west and will recline at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the Heavens, while the natural heirs of the Kingdom will be driven out into the darkness outside: there will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth." And Jesus said to the Captain, "Go, and just as you have believed, so be it for you." And the servant recovered precisely at that time.

After He had finished teaching all these things in the hearing of the people, He went into Capernaum. Here the servant of a certain Captain, a man dear to his master, was ill and at the point of death; and the Captain, hearing about Jesus, sent to Him some of the Jewish Elders, begging Him to come and restore his servant to health.read more.
And they, when they came to Jesus, earnestly entreated Him, pleading, "He deserves to have this favour granted him, for he loves our nation, and at his own expense he built our synagogue for us." Then Jesus went with them. But when He was not far from the house, the Captain sent friends to Him with the message: "Sir, do not trouble to come. I am not worthy of having you come under my roof; and therefore I did not deem myself worthy to come to you. Only speak the word, and let my young man be cured. For I too am a man obedient to authority, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this or that,' and he does it." Jesus listened to the Captain's message and was astonished at him, and He turned and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I tell you that not even in Israel have I found faith like that." And the friends who had been sent, on returning to the house, found the servant in perfect health.

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew into the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. Here a Canaanitish woman of the district came out and persistently cried out, "Sir, Son of David, pity me; my daughter is cruelly harassed by a demon." But He answered her not a word. Then the disciples interposed, and begged Him, saying, "Send her away because she keeps crying behind us."read more.
"I have only been sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," He replied. Then she came and threw herself at His feet and entreated Him. "O Sir, help me," she said. "It is not right," He said, "to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." "Be it so, Sir," she said, "for even the dogs eat the scraps which fall from their masters' tables." "O woman," replied Jesus, "great is your faith: be it done to you as you desire." And from that moment her daughter was restored to health.

Then He rose and left that place and went into the neighbourhood of Tyre and Sidon. Here He entered a house and wished no one to know it, but He could not escape observation. Forthwith a woman whose little daughter was possessed by a foul spirit heard of Him, and came and flung herself at His feet. She was a Gentile woman, a Syro-phoenician by nation: and again and again she begged Him to expel the demon from her daughter.read more.
"Let the children first eat all they want," He said; "it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." "True, Sir," she replied, "and yet the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps." "For those words of yours, go home," He replied; "the demon has gone out of your daughter." So she went home, and found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

"Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad. When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the vine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes; but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.read more.
Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than the first; and these they treated in the same manner. Later still he sent to them his son, saying, "'They will respect my son.' "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' "So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?" "He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season." "Have you never read in the Scriptures," said Jesus, "'The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the Cornerstone: this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our eyes'? "That, I tell you, is the reason why the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and given to a nation that will exhibit the power of it.

Then He began to speak to them in figurative language. "There was once a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a pit for the wine-tank, and built a strong lodge. Then he let the place to vine-dressers and went abroad. At vintage-time he sent one of his servants to receive from the vine-dressers a share of the grapes. But they seized him, beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed.read more.
Again he sent to them another servant: and as for him, they wounded him in the head and treated him shamefully. Yet a third he sent, and him they killed. And he sent many besides, and them also they ill-treated, beating some and killing others. He had still one left whom he could send, a dearly-loved son: him last of all he sent, saying, "'They will treat my son with respect.' "But those men--the vine-dressers--said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him, and then the property will one day be ours.' "So they took him and killed him, and flung his body outside the vineyard. What, therefore, will the owner of the vineyard do?" "He will come and put the vine-dressers to death," they said; "and will give the vineyard to others." "Have you not read even this passage," He added, "'The stone which the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone: this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our esteem?'"

Then He proceeded to speak a parable to the people. "There was a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, let it out to vine-dressers, and went abroad for a considerable time. At vintage-time he sent a servant to the vine-dressers, for them to give him a share of the crop; but the vine-dressers beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent a second servant; and him too they beat and ill treated and sent away empty-handed.read more.
Then again he sent a third; and this one also they wounded and drove away. Then the owner of the vineyard said, "'What am I to do? I will send my son--my dearly-loved son: they will probably respect him.' "But when the vine-dressers saw him, they discussed the matter with one another, and said, "'This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' "So they turned him out of the vineyard and murdered him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and put these vine-dressers to death, and give the vineyard to others." "God forbid!" exclaimed the hearers.

"But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand. Then let those who shall be in Judaea escape to the hills; let those who are in the city leave it, and those who are in the country not enter in. For those are the days of vengeance and of fulfilling all that is written.read more.
"Alas for the women who at that time are with child or who have infants; for there will be great distress in the land, and anger towards this People. They will fall by the sword, or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles. And Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles, till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired.

These twelve Jesus sent on a mission, after giving them their instructions: "Go not," He said, "among the Gentiles, and enter no Samaritan town; but, instead of that, go to the lost sheep of Israel's race.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations; baptize them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and teach them to obey every command which I have given you. And remember, I am with you always, day by day, until the Close of the Age."

Then He said to them, "Go the whole world over, and proclaim the Good News to all mankind. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who disbelieves will be condemned.

and He said, "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise again from among the dead; and that proclamation would be made, in His name, of repentance and forgiveness of sins to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem.

He said to them, "You know better than most that a Jew is strictly forbidden to associate with a Gentile or visit him; but God has taught me to call no one unholy or unclean.

The next day, while they were still on their journey and were getting near the town, about noon Peter went up on the house-top to pray. He had become unusually hungry and wished for food; but, while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance. The sky had opened to his view, and what seemed to be an enormous sail was descending, being let down to the earth by ropes at the four corners.read more.
In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles and birds, and a voice came to him which said, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat." "On no account, Lord," he replied; "for I have never yet eaten anything unholy and impure." Again a second time a voice was heard which said, "What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy." This was said three times, and immediately the sail was drawn up out of sight. While Peter was greatly perplexed as to the meaning of the vision which he had seen, just then the men sent by Cornelius, having by inquiry found out Simon's house, had come to the door and had called the servant, and were asking, "Is Simon, surnamed Peter, staying here?" And Peter was still earnestly thinking over the vision, when the Spirit said to him, "Three men are now inquiring for you. Rise, go down, and go with them without any misgivings; for it is I who have sent them to you."

"While I was in the town of Jaffa, offering prayer," he said, "in a trance I saw a vision. There descended what seemed to be an enormous sail, being let down from the sky by ropes at the four corners, and it came close to me. Fixing my eyes on it, I examined it closely, and saw various kinds of quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. I also heard a voice saying to me, "'Rise, Peter, kill and eat.'read more.
"'On no account, Lord,' I replied, 'for nothing unholy or impure has ever gone into my mouth.' "But a voice answered, speaking a second time from the sky, "'What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy.' "This was said three times, and then everything was drawn up again out of sight. "Now at that very moment three men came to the house where we were, having been sent from Caesarea to find me. And the Spirit told me to accompany them without any misgivings. There also went with me these six brethren who are now present, and we reached the Centurion's house. Then he described to us how he had seen the angel come and enter his house and say, "'Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter. He will teach you truths by which you and all your family will be saved.'"

While Peter was speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the Message. And all the Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that on the Gentiles also the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out. For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the majesty of God. Then Peter said,read more.
"Can any one forbid the use of water, and object to these persons being baptized--men who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?" And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them for a time.

"And," said Peter, "no sooner had I begun to speak than the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He fell upon us at the first.

and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to his feet. "It is within your own knowledge," he said, "that God originally made choice among you that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the Message of the Good News, and believe. And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their favour by bestowing the Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us;

Indeed, when they saw that I was entrusted with the preaching of the Good News to the Gentiles as Peter had been with that to the Jews-- for He who had been at work within Peter with a view to his Apostleship to the Jews had also been at work within me with a view to my Apostleship to the Gentiles-- and when they perceived the mission which was graciously entrusted to me, they (that is to say, James, Peter, and John, who were considered to be the pillars of the Church)

"Go," replied the Lord; "he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name to the Gentiles and to kings and to the descendants of Israel.

"'Go,' He replied; 'I will send you as an Apostle to nations far away.'"

"'Who art Thou, Lord?' I asked. "'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. But rise, and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you My servant and My witness both as to the things you have already seen and as to those in which I will appear to you. I will save you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you to open their eyes,read more.
that they may turn from darkness to light and from the obedience to Satan to God, in order to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified through faith in Me.' "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; but I proceeded to preach first to the people in Damascus, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God, and live lives consistent with such repentance. "It was on this account that the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me. Having, however, obtained the help which is from God, I have stood firm until now, and have solemnly exhorted rich and poor alike, saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses predicted as soon to happen, since the Christ was to be a suffering Christ, and by coming back from the dead was then to be the first to proclaim a message of light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

And I desire you to know, brethren, that I have many a time intended to come to you--though until now I have been disappointed--in order that among you also I might gather some fruit from my labours, as I have already done among the rest of the Gentile nations. I am already under obligations alike to Greek-speaking races and to others, to cultured and to uncultured people: so that for my part I am willing and eager to proclaim the Good News to you also who are in Rome.

But to you Gentiles I say that, since I am an Apostle specially sent to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry,

But I write to you the more boldly--partly as reminding you of what you already know--because of the authority graciously entrusted to me by God, that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles, doing priestly duties in connexion with God's Good News so that the sacrifice--namely the Gentiles--may be acceptable to Him, being (as it is) I can therefore glory in Christ Jesus concerning the work for God in which I am engaged.read more.
For I will not presume to mention any of the results that Christ has brought about by other agency than mine in securing the obedience of the Gentiles by word or deed, with power manifested in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. But--to speak simply of my own labours--beginning in Jerusalem and the outlying districts, I have proclaimed without reserve, even as far as Illyricum, the Good News of the Christ;

I went up in obedience to a revelation of God's will; and I explained to them the Good News which I proclaim among the Gentiles. To the leaders of the Church this explanation was made in private, lest by any means I should be running, or should already have run, in vain.

For this reason I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles--

and of which I have been appointed a herald and an Apostle (I am speaking the truth: it is not a fiction)

The Lord, however, stood by me and filled me with inward strength, that through me the Message might be fully proclaimed and that all the Gentiles might hear it; and I was rescued from the lion's jaws.

But upon their opposing him with abusive language, he shook his clothes by way of protest, and said to them, "Your ruin will be upon your own heads. I am not responsible: in future I will go among the Gentiles."

Then, throwing off all reserve, Paul and Barnabas said, "We were bound to proclaim God's Message to you first. But since you spurn it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of the Life of the Ages--well, we turn to the Gentiles.

"Be fully assured, therefore, that this salvation--God's salvation--has now been sent to the Gentiles, and that they, at any rate, will give heed."

The Gentiles listened with delight and extolled the Lord's Message; and all who were pre-destined to the Life of the Ages believed.

At Iconium the Apostles went together to the Jewish synagogue and preached, with the result that a great number both of Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who had refused obedience stirred up the Gentiles and embittered their minds against the brethren.

Then the whole assembly remained silent while they listened to the statement made by Paul and Barnabas as to all the signs and marvels that God had done among the Gentiles through their instrumentality.

After exchanging friendly greetings, Paul told in detail all that God had done among the Gentiles through his instrumentality.

while we proclaim a Christ who has been crucified--to the Jews a stumbling-block, to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who have received the Call, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

and, when Peter returned to Jerusalem, the champions of circumcision found fault with him. "You went into the houses of men who are not Jews," they said, "and you ate with them."

"And," said Peter, "no sooner had I begun to speak than the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He fell upon us at the first. Then I remembered the Lord's words, how He used to say, "'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.' "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, why, who was I to be able to thwart God?"read more.
This statement of Peter's silenced his opponents. They extolled the goodness of God, and said, "So, then, to the Gentiles also God has given the repentance which leads to Life."

For until certain persons came from James he had been accustomed to eat with Gentiles; but as soon as these persons came, he withdrew and separated himself for fear of the Circumcision party. And along with him the other Jews also concealed their real opinions, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their lack of straightforwardness.

But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees but were now believers, stood up in the assembly, and said, "Yes, Gentile believers ought to be circumcised and be ordered to keep the Law of Moses." Then the Apostles and Elders met to consider the matter; and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to his feet. "It is within your own knowledge," he said, "that God originally made choice among you that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the Message of the Good News, and believe.read more.
And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their favour by bestowing the Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us; and He made no difference between us and them, in that He cleansed their hearts by their faith. Now, therefore, why try an experiment upon God, by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we, as well as they, shall be saved." Then the whole assembly remained silent while they listened to the statement made by Paul and Barnabas as to all the signs and marvels that God had done among the Gentiles through their instrumentality. When they had finished speaking, James said, "Brethren, listen to me. Symeon has related how God first looked graciously on the Gentiles to take from among them a People to be called by His name. And this is in harmony with the language of the Prophets, which says: "'"Afterwards I will return, and will rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will set it up again; In order that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--even all the nations which are called by My name," Says the Lord, who has been making these things known from ages long past.' "My judgement, therefore, is against inflicting unexpected annoyance on those of the Gentiles who are turning to God. Yet let us send them written instructions to abstain from things polluted by connexion with idolatry, from fornication, from meat killed by strangling, and from blood. For Moses from the earliest times has had his preachers in every town, being read, as he is, Sabbath after Sabbath, in the various synagogues." Thereupon it was decided by the Apostles and Elders, with the approval of the whole Church, to choose suitable persons from among themselves and send them to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas. Judas, called Bar-sabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, were selected, and they took with them the following letter: "The Apostles and the elder brethren send greeting to the Gentile brethren throughout Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. As we have been informed that certain persons who have gone out from among us have disturbed you by their teaching and have unsettled your minds, without having received any such instructions from us; we have unanimously decided to select certain men and send them to you in company with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, who have endangered their very lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who are themselves bringing you the same message by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no burden heavier than these necessary requirements-- You must abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication. Keep yourselves clear of these things, and it will be well with you. Farewell." They, therefore, having been solemnly sent, came down to Antioch, where they called together the whole assembly and delivered the letter. The people read it, and were delighted with the comfort it brought them.

Later still, after an interval of fourteen years, I again went up to Jerusalem in company with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. I went up in obedience to a revelation of God's will; and I explained to them the Good News which I proclaim among the Gentiles. To the leaders of the Church this explanation was made in private, lest by any means I should be running, or should already have run, in vain. But although my companion Titus was a Greek they did not insist upon even his being circumcised.read more.
Yet there was danger of this through the false brethren secretly introduced into the Church, who had stolen in to spy out the freedom which is ours in Christ Jesus, in order to rob us of it. But not for an hour did we give way and submit to them; in order that the Good News might continue with you in its integrity.

Christ having made us gloriously free--stand fast and do not again be hampered with the yoke of slavery. Remember that it is I Paul who tell you that if you receive circumcision Christ will avail you nothing. I once more protest to every man who receives circumcision that he is under obligation to obey the whole Law of Moses.read more.
Christ has become nothing to any of you who are seeking acceptance with God through the Law: you have fallen away from grace. *We* have not, for through the Spirit we wait with longing hope for an acceptance with God which is to come through faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any importance; but only faith working through love.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were so far away have been brought near through the death of Christ.

And now they sing a new song. "It is fitting," they say, "that Thou shouldst be the One to take the book And break its seals; Because Thou hast been offered in sacrifice, And hast purchased for God with Thine own blood Some out of every tribe and language and people and nation, And hast formed them into a Kingdom to be priests to our God, And they reign over the earth."

Is God simply the God of the Jews, and not of the Gentiles also? He is certainly the God of the Gentiles also,

I ask, however, "Have they stumbled so as to be finally ruined?" No, indeed; but by their lapse salvation has come to the Gentiles in order to arouse the jealousy of the descendants of Israel; and if their lapse is the enriching of the world, and their overthrow the enriching of the Gentiles, will not still greater good follow their restoration? But to you Gentiles I say that, since I am an Apostle specially sent to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry,read more.
trying whether I can succeed in rousing my own countrymen to jealousy and thus save some of them. For if their having been cast aside has carried with it the reconciliation of the world, what will their being accepted again be but Life out of death? Now if the firstfruits of the dough are holy, so also is the whole mass; and if the root of a tree is holy, so also are the branches. And if some of the branches have been pruned away, and you, although you were but a wild olive, have been grafted in among them and have become a sharer with others in the rich sap of the root of the olive tree, beware of glorying over the natural branches. Or if you are so glorying, do not forget that it is not you who uphold the root: the root upholds you. "Branches have been lopped off," you will say, "for the sake of my being grafted in." This is true; yet it was their unbelief that cut them off, and you only stand through your faith. Do not be puffed up with pride. Tremble rather--for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.

And if you belong to Christ, then you are indeed true descendants of Abraham, and are heirs in fulfilment of the promise.

After this I looked, and a vast host appeared which it was impossible for anyone to count, gathered out of every nation and from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in long white robes, and carrying palm-branches in their hands.

And I saw another angel flying across the sky, carrying the Good News of the Ages to tell to every nation, tribe, language and people, among those who live on the earth.

In Him the distinctions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free man, male and female, disappear; you are all one in Christ Jesus.

coming upon the soul of every man and woman who deliberately does wrong--upon the Jew first, and then upon the Gentile; whereas glory, honour and peace will be given to every one who does what is good and right--to the Jew first and then to the Gentile. For God pays no attention to this world's distinctions.

You are therefore no longer mere foreigners or persons excluded from civil rights. On the contrary you share citizenship with God's people and are members of His family. You are a building which has been reared on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, the cornerstone being Christ Jesus Himself,

In that new creation there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free man, but Christ is everything and is in all of us.

I have also other sheep--which do not belong to this fold. Those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under one Shepherd.

For such is the Lord's command to us. "'I have placed Thee,' He says of Christ, 'as a light to the Gentiles, in order that Thou mayest be a Saviour as far as the remotest parts of the earth.'" The Gentiles listened with delight and extolled the Lord's Message; and all who were pre-destined to the Life of the Ages believed.

even towards us whom He has called not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles? So also in Hosea He says, "I will call that nation My People which was not My People, and I will call her beloved who was not beloved. And in the place where it was said to them, 'No people of Mine are you,' there shall they be called sons of the everliving God."

but to those who have received the Call, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because that which the world deems foolish in God is wiser than men's wisdom, and that which it deems feeble in God is mightier than men's might.

even as Abraham believed God, and his faith was placed to his account as righteousness? Notice therefore that those who possess faith are true sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that in consequence of faith God would declare the nations to be free from guilt, sent beforehand the Good News to Abraham, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."read more.
So we see that it is those who possess faith that are blessed with believing Abraham. All who are depending upon their own obedience to the Law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is every one who does not remain faithful to all the precepts of the Law, and practise them." It is evident, too, that no one can find acceptance with God simply by obeying the Law, because "the righteous shall live by faith," and the Law has nothing to do with faith. It teaches that "he who does these things shall live by doing them." Christ has purchased our freedom from the curse of the Law by becoming accursed for us--because "Cursed is every one who is hanged upon a tree." Our freedom has been thus purchased in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing belonging to Abraham may come upon the nations, so that through faith we may receive the promised Spirit.

This declaration of blessedness, then, does it come simply to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? For Abraham's faith--so we affirm--was placed to his credit as righteousness. What then were the circumstances under which this took place? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? Before, not after. And he received circumcision as a sign, a mark attesting the reality of the faith-righteousness which was his while still uncircumcised, that he might be the forefather of all those who believe even though they are uncircumcised--in order that this righteousness might be placed to their credit;read more.
and the forefather of the circumcised, namely of those who not merely are circumcised, but also walk in the steps of the faith which our forefather Abraham had while he was as yet uncircumcised.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any importance; but only faith working through love.