For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
Parallel translations
- WEB For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.
- KJV For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
- NKJV For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
- NASB For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
- NLT For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In Christ, circumcision or its absence counts for nothing; what matters is faith working through love. Genuine saving faith expresses itself in love.
Overview
Paul cuts to the essence: external ritual is irrelevant to one's standing before God. What counts is faith, and true faith is never idle but active, working itself out in love. This verse beautifully unites justification by faith with the necessary fruit of love, guarding the gospel from both legalism and dead, loveless profession.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Gal 6:15For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.
- 1 Cor 7:19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.
- 1 Th 1:3and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Jas 2:14–26What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
- Matt 25:31–40When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
- Gal 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Jn 3:14–20We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
- 1 Pet 1:8Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
- 2 Cor 5:14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.
- 1 Jn 4:18–21There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.
- Col 3:11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
- Gal 5:2–3Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
- Rom 2:25–29Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
- Heb 11:8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.
- Heb 11:17–19By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,
- Rom 3:29–31Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
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Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
How Galatians 5:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.