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.
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.
- BSB For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through 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.
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 in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
- 1 Cor 7:19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
- 1 Th 1:3remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
- Jas 2:14–26What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
- Matt 25:31–40“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
- Gal 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Jn 3:14–20We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.
- 1 Pet 1:8whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory —
- 2 Cor 5:14For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.
- 1 Jn 4:18–21There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.
- Col 3:11where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
- Gal 5:2–3Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
- Rom 2:25–29For 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.
- Heb 11:8By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.
- Heb 11:17–19By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son,
- Rom 3:29–31Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.