Romans 2:28

Romans 2:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
• New International Version (NIV)A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;

Context of Romans 2:28

26But 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. Not 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. 29No! A true Jew is someone who belongs to God in his spirit. He belongs to God because God's Spirit has changed his life. It is like God has circumcised him in his spirit, not in his body. The rules in God's Law cannot do that work in a person. Other people may not praise a person like that, but God will praise him.

Romans 2:28 word by word

οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ Ἰουδαῖός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ἡ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ ἐν σαρκὶ περιτομή,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• heὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• a JewἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• outwardlyἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• outwardlyφανερόςphaneros · clearG5318
• neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
• circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061
• the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561

Cross-references for Romans 2:28

• Romans 9:6God promised good things to Israel's people. But I am not saying that what God promised did not happen. It is clear that not all of Israel's people are God's true people.
• Psalms 73:1God is truly good to the people of Israel, to people who want to serve him honestly.
• Isaiah 1:9Unless the Lord Almighty had left some of us alive, we would have become like Sodom. We would have been completely destroyed, like Gomorrah.
• Isaiah 48:1Listen to this, family of Jacob. You are called ‘Israel’, and you are Judah's descendants. You use the name of the Lord when you make promises. You pray to Israel's God. But you do not do those things honestly and fairly.
• Hosea 1:6Gomer became pregnant again. She gave birth to a daughter. The Lord said to Hosea, ‘Call her Lo-Ruhamah. This is because I will not continue to show love to Israel's people. I will not forgive their sins any more.
• Matthew 3:9Do not say to yourselves, “We are in the family of Abraham. God will surely not punish us.” Listen! God can take these stones and make children for Abraham out of them!
• John 1:47Jesus saw Nathanael, who was coming towards him. Jesus said, ‘Here is a completely honest man. That is what a person from Israel should really be like.’
• John 8:37I know that you belong to Abraham's family. But you are looking for a way to kill me. That is because you have no place in yourselves for my words.
• Galatians 6:15It does not matter whether anyone has circumcised you or not. What matters is that God has made you a new person.
• Revelation 2:9I know that bad people are making you suffer. I also know that you are poor. But really, you are rich. Some people say that they are Jews, but they tell lies about you. So they cannot be my true people. Instead, they belong to a group of Satan's people.
• Jeremiah 9:26Those people include the Egyptians, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites and the people of Judah. I will also punish the people who live in the desert and who cut their hair short. Those people are not circumcised to give honour to me. The Israelites are the same. Their bodies are circumcised, but they do not want to obey my covenant with them.’
• Romans 4:10They circumcised Abraham to show that he was a Jew. Think about the time when God accepted Abraham. Did it happen before they circumcised him, or after that? We know that it was before they circumcised him!
• 1 Peter 3:21That shows how God now saves you. It is like a picture of baptism. The water of baptism does not wash dirt from a person's body. Instead, it shows that a person has decided to obey God. He is choosing to do what is right. That saves you, because Jesus Christ became alive again after his death.

Commentaries on Romans 2:28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28For he is not a Jew - A genuine member of the Church of God, who has only an outward profession. Neither is that circumcision - Circumcision is a rite which represents a spiritual thing, viz. the change and purification of the heart, as may be seen, Jeremiah 4:4, Jeremiah 4:6, Jeremiah 4:10; Jeremiah 9:26; Ezekiel 44:7, Ezekiel 44:9.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28For he is not a Jew … - He who is merely descended from Abraham, and is circumcised, and externally conforms to the Law only, does not possess the true character, and manifest the true spirit, contemplated by the separation of the Jewish people. Their separation required much more. Neither is that circumcision … - Neither does it meet the full design of the rite of circumcision, that it is externally performed. It contemplated much more; see Romans 2:29.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. 1-29Paul waits to explain righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until he first teaches about the sinfulness of all people. Both non-Jews and Jews are equally under the power of sin (1:18–32; 2:1–3:8). Because of this, both groups are in the same situation before God. No one can gain God’s favor by their own actions or obedience (3:9–20). All people need God’s saving action, not their own efforts.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 2:28

• Circumcision
• Formalism
• Holiness
• Hypocrisy
• Regeneration

In the dictionaries

• Accuse
• Boast
• Circumcision
• Continuance
• Doer
• Excuse
• Fall of man
• Forbearance
• Sure
• Treasure

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