Romans 2:26

Romans 2:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
• New International Version (NIV)So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?
• English Standard Version (ESV)So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?

Context of Romans 2:26

24This is written in the Bible: ‘Because of you Jews, the Gentiles say bad things against God.’ 25As a Jewish man, you are proud that someone has circumcised you. That is a help to you, if you obey God's Law in your life. But if you do not obey God's Law, then it is worth nothing. You have become like a Gentile that nobody has ever circumcised. But a Gentile may obey what God's Law teaches. Then he has shown that he belongs to God even though nobody has circumcised him. 27In that way, even Gentiles will show that you who are Jews are wrong. God's Law was written to help you Jews. They circumcised you to show that you belong to God. But if you refuse to obey God's Law, then God will punish you. The Gentiles who do obey God's Law will show that God is right to punish you. 28Not everyone who seems to be a Jew is really a Jew who belongs to God. God does not accept a man just because someone has circumcised that man's body.

Romans 2:26 word by word

ἐὰν οὖν ἡ ἀκροβυστία τὰ δικαιώματα τοῦ νόμου φυλάσσῃ, οὐχ ἡ ἀκροβυστία αὐτοῦ εἰς περιτομὴν λογισθήσεται;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• the uncircumcisionὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the uncircumcisionἀκροβυστίαakrobustia · uncircumcisionG203
• keepφυλάσσωphulassō · to keep/guard: observeG5442
• the righteousnessδικαίωμαdikaiōma · righteous actG1345
• of the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• shall notοὐχίouchi · not!G3780
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• be countedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061

Cross-references for Romans 2:26

• Isaiah 56:6I will also bless foreigners who decide to serve me. They must be faithful to me as my servants. They must respect the rules for the Sabbath day and keep it special. They must always obey my covenant.
• Matthew 8:11I tell you, many people will come from all over the world to take their place in the kingdom of heaven. There they will sit down to eat with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• Matthew 15:28Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you show clearly that you believe in God. God will do what you have asked.’ At that moment the woman's daughter became well again.
• Acts 10:2Cornelius was a good man. He and all his family served God faithfully. Cornelius prayed to God every day. He also gave money to help poor Jewish people.
• Acts 11:3So they said to Peter, ‘You stayed in the house of men who were not circumcised. You even ate meals with them!’
• 1 Corinthians 7:18Some of you are Jews, so people circumcised you. That happened before you believed in Christ. So do not try to change it. Some of you are not Jews. Nobody circumcised you. So continue like that. Do not ask anyone to circumcise you.
• Philippians 3:3But we are truly God's people. And it is not because someone has circumcised us. It is God's own Spirit that leads us to worship God. We thank God because of what Christ Jesus has done for us. We know that it is not human ideas that can save us.
• Colossians 2:11Also, because you are united with Christ, you truly belong to God's people. No person has circumcised you to show this. It is like Christ himself has circumcised you, to show that you belong to God. It is like he has cut off your old nature which made you do bad things.

Commentaries on Romans 2:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Therefore if the uncircumcision, etc. - If the Gentile be found to act according to the spirit and design of the law, his acting thus uprightly, according to the light which God has afforded him, will be reckoned to him as if he were circumcised and walked agreeably to the law.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Therefore, if the uncircumcision - If those who are not circumcised, that is, the pagan. Keep the righteousness of the law - Keep what the Law of Moses commands. It could not be supposed that a pagan would understand the requirements of the ceremonial law; but reference is had here to the moral law. The apostle does not expressly affirm that this was ever done; but he supposes the case, to show the true nature and value of the rites of the Jews. Shall not…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-29Verses 25-29 No forms, ordinances, or notions can profit, without regenerating grace, which will always lead to seeking an interest in the righteousness of God by faith. For he is no more a Christian now, than he was really a Jew of old, who is only one outwardly: neither is that baptism, which is outward in the flesh: but he is the real Christian, who is inwardly a true believer, with an obedient faith. And the true baptism is that of the heart, by the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?: Paul might be referring to Gentile Christians who are God's people because they follow God's law. Alternatively, he could be speaking in an imaginary way about what would happen if a non-Jew perfectly obeyed God's law.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 25-2925-29. For circumcision--that is, One's being within the covenant of which circumcision was the outward sign and seal. verily profiteth, if thou keep the law--if the inward reality correspond to the outward sign. but if, &c.--that is, "Otherwise, thou art no better than the uncircumcised heathen."Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 2:26

• Circumcision
• Formalism
• Hypocrisy
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• Accuse
• Boast
• Continuance
• Doer
• Excuse
• Fall of man
• Forbearance
• Sure
• Treasure
• Bible, the

Commentaries on Romans 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings