Parallel Verses

An Understandable Version

Those who attempt to make a good impression by trying to force you to be circumcised really want only to avoid being persecuted for their commitment to Christ.

New American Standard Bible

Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

King James Version

As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Holman Bible

Those who want to make a good impression in the flesh are the ones who would compel you to be circumcised—but only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

International Standard Version

These people who want to impress others by their external appearance are trying to force you to be circumcised, simply to avoid being persecuted for the cross of the Messiah.

A Conservative Version

As many as desire to make a good impression in flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only so that they may not be persecuted for the cross of the Christ.

American Standard Version

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Amplified

Those who want to make a good impression in public [before the Jews] try to compel you to be circumcised, just so they will escape being persecuted for [faithfulness to] the cross of Christ.

Anderson New Testament

As many as wish to make a fair show in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of the Christ.

Bible in Basic English

Those who have the desire to seem important in the flesh, put force on you to undergo circumcision; only that they may not be attacked because of the cross of Christ.

Common New Testament

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.

Daniel Mace New Testament

they who desire to make a figure in the world, constrain you to be circumcised, only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Darby Translation

As many as desire to have a fair appearance in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted because of the cross of Christ.

Godbey New Testament

So many as wish to make a fair show in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised; only that they do not suffer persecution on account of the cross of Christ.

Goodspeed New Testament

These men who are trying to force you to let yourselves be circumcised want to present a good appearance externally, to save themselves from having to stand persecution for the cross of Jesus the Christ.

John Wesley New Testament

As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, these constrain you to be circumcised: only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Julia Smith Translation

As many as: wish to have an agreeable demeanor in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only lest they should be driven out for the cross of Christ.

King James 2000

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Lexham Expanded Bible

As many as are wanting to make a good showing in the flesh, these are attempting to compel you to be circumcised, only so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Modern King James verseion

As many as desire to look well in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

As many as desire with outward appearance to please carnally, they constrain you to be circumcised, only because they would not suffer persecution with the cross of Christ.

Moffatt New Testament

These men who are keen upon you getting circumcised are just men who want to make a grand display in the flesh ??it is simply to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Montgomery New Testament

Those who are trying to compel you to be circumcised are such as wish to make a fair show in the flesh, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

NET Bible

Those who want to make a good showing in external matters are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do so only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

New Heart English Bible

As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Noyes New Testament

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, these are constraining you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Sawyer New Testament

Those who wish to make a fair appearance in the flesh compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

The Emphasized Bible

As many as are wishing to make a good show in flesh, the same, are compelling you to get circumcised, - only that, for the cross of Christ Jesus, they may not be suffering persecution!

Thomas Haweis New Testament

As many as wish to make a fair appearance in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Twentieth Century New Testament

Those who wish to appear to advantage in regard to outward observances are the very people who are trying to compel you to be circumcised; and they do it only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Jesus, the Christ.

Webster

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Weymouth New Testament

All who desire to display their zeal for external observances try to compel you to receive circumcision, but their real object is simply to escape being persecuted for the Cross of Christ.

Williams New Testament

These men who are trying to force you to let yourselves be circumcised simply want to make a fine outward show, only to keep you from being persecuted for the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

World English Bible

As many as desire to look good in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Worrell New Testament

As many as wish to make a fair show in the flesh, these constrain you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Worsley New Testament

They, who want to make a fair appearance in the flesh, would constrain you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Youngs Literal Translation

as many as are willing to make a good appearance in the flesh, these constrain you to be circumcised -- only that for the cross of the Christ they may not be persecuted,

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
As many as
ὅσος 
Hosos 
Usage: 76

θέλω ἐθέλω 
thelo 
will/would, will/would have, desire, desirous, list, to will,
Usage: 136

to make a fair shew
εὐπροσωπέω 
Euprosopeo 
Usage: 1

in
ἐν 
En 
in, by, with, among, at, on, through,
Usage: 2128

the flesh
σάρξ 
Sarx 
Usage: 130

οὗτος οὗτοι αὕτη αὕται 
Houtos 
this, these, he, the same, this man, she, they,
Usage: 258

ἀναγκάζω 
Anagkazo 
Usage: 8

you
ὑμᾶς 
Humas 
you, ye, for your sakes Trans, not tr,
Usage: 314

to be circumcised
περιτέμνω 
Peritemno 
Usage: 17

μόνον 
Monon 
only, alone, but
Usage: 62

μή 
me 
not, no, that not, God forbid 9, lest, neither, no man , but, none, not translated,
Usage: 493

for the cross
σταυρός 
Stauros 
Usage: 22

Context Readings

A Final Warning

11 Look at how large the letters are that I am using in writing this, and I am writing them myself. 12 Those who attempt to make a good impression by trying to force you to be circumcised really want only to avoid being persecuted for their commitment to Christ. 13 For not even those who practice circumcision comply with [the requirements of] the law of Moses, yet they want you to be circumcised so they can take credit for this physical evidence [of your compliance with the law of Moses].


Cross References

Galatians 5:11

But, brothers, if I were still preaching [that a person had] to be circumcised, why am I being persecuted? [Note: Paul's argument seems to be "I must not be preaching circumcision since I am being persecuted by those who believe in it"]. [If I preached that a person had to be circumcised] then my preaching that Christ died on the cross would not be such an offense [to those who believe in it].

Acts 15:1

Certain men [i.e., believers, see verse 5] came down from Judea [to Antioch of Syria] and began teaching the brothers this: You cannot be saved unless you are circumcised according to the custom [required] by Moses.

2 Corinthians 11:13

For such men are false apostles; they are deceitful workers, who disguise themselves as [true] apostles of Christ.

Galatians 2:3

But they did not even require that Titus, a Greek [i.e., a Gentile] who was with me, become circumcised.

Matthew 6:2

"Therefore, when you give money to help poor people, do not blow a trumpet in front of you [i.e., to call attention to it] as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets. They do this in order to win praise from people. It is true when I say to you, they have [already] received their reward.

Matthew 6:5

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners [i.e., in prominent view of everyone] in order to be seen [and praised] by people.

Matthew 6:16

"In addition, when you fast [i.e., go without food and/or drink for religious reasons], do not be like the hypocrites with long faces, for they go around with gloomy expressions on their faces in order to advertise that they are fasting. It is true when I say to you, these people have [already] received their reward.

Matthew 23:5

But they do all their deeds just to be seen by people. They wear elaborate Scripture texts displayed on their clothing and enlarge [conspicuously] the fringes of their robes.

Matthew 23:28

Even so, you also appear on the outside to be doing right in front of people, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and sin.

Luke 16:15

And He said to them, "You are people who claim to be just in the eyes of [other] people, but God knows [what is in] your hearts. For that which is held up as most important among people [i.e., fame or fortune ?] is disgusting in the eyes of God.

Luke 20:47

They consume widows' houses [i.e., by foreclosing on them] and [then] cover it up by offering lengthy prayers. These people will receive a heavier judgment."

John 7:18

The person who speaks on his own authority is [just] trying to gain honor for himself. But the One who tries to gain honor from God, who sent Him, is [committed to] truth, and there is nothing false in His heart.

Acts 15:5

But certain believers, [who had been] members of the sect called Pharisees [i.e., a strict sect of the Jewish religion], began saying, "It is necessary to circumcise people [see verse 1] and require them to keep [the ordinances of] the law of Moses."

2 Corinthians 10:12

For we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with certain people who commend themselves. People who measure their [spiritual] stature by what [they think] they are, and compare their [spiritual] status with their own set of standards, are foolish.

Galatians 2:14

But, when I saw that they did not act in harmony with [the principles of] the truth of the Gospel [message], I said to Cephas in front of everyone, "If you, being a Jew, act like a Gentile [by showing such discrimination], how do you expect to persuade Gentiles to live like Jews [i.e., like Christian Jews who are taught to love all people]?"

Galatians 6:13

For not even those who practice circumcision comply with [the requirements of] the law of Moses, yet they want you to be circumcised so they can take credit for this physical evidence [of your compliance with the law of Moses].

Philippians 1:15

Some people, indeed, are proclaiming Christ out of envy and strife [i.e., out of rivalry], while others do it from goodwill.

Philippians 2:4

Each of you should not look out for your own interests [only], but also for those of other people.

Philippians 3:18

For I have often told you before, and am telling you again with tears in my eyes, that many people are living as the enemies of the cross of Christ [i.e., their lives oppose the purpose of Christ's death].

Colossians 2:23

They certainly have an appearance of wisdom, [displaying] self-prescribed worship and [false] humility and asceticism, but they lack any value in curbing the desires of the physical passions.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain