Dictionary Article

Natural condition of the male, that is, with the foreskin covering his penis. Since the Jews, among many other peoples, surgically removed this as a sign of their covenant with God (Gn 17:9-14; Ex 12:48; Lv 12:3), the term came to designate “non-Jew” or “Gentile” (Philistines, Greeks, and Romans did not circumcise, but Egyptians and many Semitic peoples did). By extension, it connoted “those outside the covenant.”

Show passage in OET: GEN 17:9–14

OET-RV GEN 17:9

9 Then God told Avraham, “For your part,, you and your descendants after you throughout all their generations must follow the requirements of our agreement.

OET-RV GEN 17:10

10 This is the agreement that you and all your future descendants are to follow: every male among you must be circumcised.

OET-RV GEN 17:11

11 This removal of the foreskin will be a physical mark confirming the agreement between me and you.

OET-RV GEN 17:12

12 All male babies must be circumcised when they’re eight days old. This includes all those born in your own house, as well as any that have been bought from foreigners even if they’re not your biological descendants.

OET-RV GEN 17:13

13 Yes, they definitely must be circumcised either way if they’re born in your house or purchased as slaves. This way, my agreement will be manifested in your physical bodies as a never-ending agreement.

OET-RV GEN 17:14

14 Any males who isn’t circumcised must be excluded from his people because he will have broken my agreement.”

OET-LV GEN 17:9

9 And_ god _he/it _said to ʼAⱱrāhām and_you(ms) DOM covenant _of_my you _will _keep you and_offspring _of_your after_you for_generations _of_their.

OET-LV GEN 17:10

10 This covenant _of_is_my which you(pl)_will _keep between_me and_between_you(pl) and_between your(ms)_seed/fruit after_you he _will _be _circumcised to/for_you(pl) every _of male.

OET-LV GEN 17:11

11 And_you(pl)_will _be _circumcised DOM the _flesh _of your _foreskin _of_your(pl) and_it _was (into)_a_sign _of the_covenant between_me and_between_you(pl).

OET-LV GEN 17:12

12 And_a _son _of eight _of days he _will _be _circumcised to/for_you(pl) every _of male for_generations _of_your(pl) one _born _of the_household and_a _purchase _of silver from_all son _of foreignness who not is_one_of_your _offspring he.

OET-LV GEN 17:13

13 Definitely _(be _circumcised) (the)_one _born _of your _household _of_your and_the _purchase _of your _silver _of_your he _will _be _circumcised and_it _will _be covenant _of_my in_flesh _of_your(pl) to_a _covenant _of perpetuity.

OET-LV GEN 17:14

14 And_an _uncircumcised male who not DOM the _flesh _of his _foreskin _of_his he _will _be _circumcised and_ the_living _creatures the_that _it _will _be _cut _off from_kinspeople(s)_of_its DOM covenant _of_my he _has _broken.

Show passage in OET: EXO 12:48

OET-RV EXO 12:48

48 and if someone is living among you and wants to join in Yahweh’s ‘pass-over’, then every male in their family must be circumcised. Only then will they be allowed to observe it, and then they should be considered like a native of the land. No uncircumcised person may eat it.

OET-LV EXO 12:48

48 And_because/when he _will _sojourn with_you a _sojourner and_he _will _observe a _passover to/for_YHWH he _will _be _circumcised to_him/it every _of male and_then he _will _draw _near to_observe_it and_it _was like_the _native-born _of the_earth/land and_all uncircumcised_man not he _will _eat in/on/over_him/it.

Show passage in OET: LEV 12:3

OET-RV LEV 12:3

3 Then on the eighth day, the baby boy’s foreskin must be circumcised.

OET-LV LEV 12:3

3 And_on_day (the)_eighth the _flesh _of his _foreskin _of_his it _will _be _circumcised.

Jump to OET GEN 17:9–14 section.

Jump to OET EXO 12:48 section.

Jump to OET LEV 12:3 section.

The term “uncircumcision” occurs 20 times in the NT, most of the time meaning simply “Gentile,” as opposed to Jew. Paul argues strongly against making such distinctions. For Paul, the attitude of one’s heart toward God is much more important than ritual law, which has nothing to do with his salvation (Rom 2:25-27). Abraham became a believer and was justified by God while he was uncircumcised, so circumcision has nothing to do with his salvation (3:30; 4:9-12). Formerly, Gentiles were excluded from the people of God (Eph 2:11-12), but now Jewish and gentile believers have become one in Christ (Gal 2:7; 5:6; 6:15; Col 3:11). Paul refuses to give way to those demanding circumcision for full church membership.

Show passage in OET: ROM 2:25–27

OET-RV ROM 2:25

25 Circumcision is of value if you’re keeping the law, but if you’re breaking the laws, then your circumcision means just the same as if you’re uncircumcised,

OET-RV ROM 2:26

26 so if uncircumcised people groups behave justly according to the law, even though they’re not physically circumcised, God will consider them as his people.

OET-RV ROM 2:27

27 Yes, those people groups who aren’t circumcised, but keep the law, will be judging you who were given the law in writing and are circumcised, yet break those laws.

OET-LV ROM 2:25

25 Circumcision for on _one _hand is _benefiting, if the_law you _may _be _practicing, on _the _other _hand if a_transgressor of _law you _may _be _may _be, the circumcision of _you, uncircumcision has _become.

OET-LV ROM 2:26

26 Therefore if the uncircumcision, the just _acts of _the law may _be _keeping, not the uncircumcision of _him for circumcision will _be _being _counted?

OET-LV ROM 2:27

27 And will _be _judging the by nature uncircumcision, the law finishing, you who through the_letter and circumcision are a_transgressor of _law.

Show passage in OET: ROM 3:30

OET-RV ROM 3:30

30 Indeed, there’s only one God, and he declares people guiltless by faith whether they’re circumcised Yehudim, or non-Jews.

OET-LV ROM 3:30

30 if _indeed one the god is, who will _be _justifying the_circumcision by faith, and the_uncircumcision through the faith.

Show passage in OET: ROM 4:9–12

OET-RV ROM 4:9

9 Is this favour shown only to circumcised Yehudim (Jews), or is it also for non-Jews? After all, we were saying that Avraham was considered guiltless because of his faith.

OET-RV ROM 4:10

10 So how did that happen? Because he was circumcised, or when he was still uncircumcised? No, it was before he was circumcised.

OET-RV ROM 4:11

11 He received circumcision as a sign—proof of the righteousness that he gained from his faith while he was still uncircumcised—becoming the father of everyone who’s uncircumcised but believes so that they’ll be declared guiltless.

OET-RV ROM 4:12

12 So our ancestor Avraham is the ancestor of us as a circumcised people group, not just because we’re circumcised, but also as we follow the steps of faith he took while uncircumcised.

OET-LV ROM 4:9

9 The therefore is blessing this on the circumcision, or also on the uncircumcision?
For/Because we _are _saying:
˓Was˒_counted to_ the _Abraʼam the faith for righteousness.

OET-LV ROM 4:10

10 Therefore how it _was _counted?
In circumcision being, or in uncircumcision?
Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision,

OET-LV ROM 4:11

11 and the_sign he _received of _circumcision, a_seal of _the righteousness of _the faith which in the uncircumcision, in _order that to _be him father of _all the ones believing through uncircumcision, in _order that to _be _counted to _them the righteousness,

OET-LV ROM 4:12

12 and father of _circumcision to _the ones not of circumcision only, but also to _the ones aligning in _the steps which in uncircumcision of _faith, of _the father of _us Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām).

Show passage in OET: EPH 2:11–12

OET-RV EPH 2:11

11 Because of that, don’t forget that you all were once fleshly unbelievers (nicknamed ‘the uncircumcised ones’ by circumcised Yehudim (Jews) who mark the bodies of their males with human hands).

OET-RV EPH 2:12

12 At that time you were separated from the citizens of Yisrael (Israel) and were strangers to the agreements involving God’s promise. You didn’t have any future hope as you lived in the world without knowing God.

OET-LV EPH 2:11

11 Therefore be _remembering that once you _all the pagans in the_flesh, the ones being _called the_uncircumcision by the being _called circumcision in the_flesh handmade,

OET-LV EPH 2:12

12 that you _all _were the at _time that without chosen _one /messiah, having _been _estranged from _the citizenship of_ the _Israaʸl/(Yisrā^ʼēl), and strangers to _the covenants of _the promise, not having hope, and godless in the world.

Show passage in OET: GAL 2:7

OET-RV GAL 2:7

7 Instead, they saw that I’ve been entrusted with taking the good message to the non-Jews, just like Kefa (Peter; Grk. Petros) was entrusted to take it to the Yehudim (Jews),

OET-LV GAL 2:7

7 But instead having _seen that I _have _been _entrusted the good _message of _the uncircumcision, as Petros of _the circumcision

Show passage in OET: GAL 5:6

OET-RV GAL 5:6

6 because in the messiah Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus), it’s not circumcision that achieves anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith worked out through love.

OET-LV GAL 5:6

6 For/Because in chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa), neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is _prevailing anything, but faith working through love.

Show passage in OET: GAL 6:15

OET-RV GAL 6:15

15 because obeying Mosheh’s law is nothing, and not needing to obey it is nothing, but being a new creation is everything.

OET-LV GAL 6:15

15 For/Because neither circumcision is anything, nor uncircumcision, but new creation.

Show passage in OET: COL 3:11

OET-RV COL 3:11

11 where there’s no distinctions between ethnicities or religion, locals and foreigners, slaves or free, but Messiah is everything and in all of us.

OET-LV COL 3:11

11 where there _is not Hellaʸn and Youdaios, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Skuthaʸs, slave, free, but chosen _one /messiah is all things and in all things.

Jump to OET ROM 2:25–27 section.

Jump to OET ROM 3:30 section.

Jump to OET ROM 4:9–12 section.

Jump to OET EPH 2:11–12 section.

Jump to OET GAL 2:7 section.

Jump to OET GAL 5:6 section.

Jump to OET GAL 6:15 section.

Jump to OET COL 3:11 section.

In one passage (Col 2:8-15), Paul speaks of uncircumcision metaphorically, meaning a person’s unregenerate state. Here uncircumcision is equivalent to “the flesh” (meaning one’s evil impulse or natural state). As literal flesh is cut away in the rite of circumcision, so this “flesh” is cut away by Christ at the time of conversion, as symbolized in baptism. The baptized person is one purified from “uncleanness” as a circumcised Gentile is purified from previous uncircumcised uncleanness.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary