Romans 2:26

King James Version

Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
If an outsider (someone who's not a Jew) follows the Code, but doesn't have his pickle clipped, don't you realize God will regard him as if he were circumcised?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

Legacy Standard Bible
So if the uncircumcised man observes the righteous requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?

Bible in Basic English
If those who have not circumcision keep the rules of the law, will it not be credited to them as circumcision?

Darby Translation
If therefore the uncircumcision keep the requirements of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision,

New King James Version
Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore if an uncircumcised man keeps the law's requirements, will his uncircumcision not be counted as circumcision?

World English Bible
If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won't his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Weymouth's New Testament
In the same way if an uncircumcised man pays attention to the just requirements of the Law, shall not his lack of circumcision be overlooked, and,

King James Version (1611)
Therefore, if the vncircumcision keepe the righteousnesse of the Law, shall not his vncircumcision be counted for Circumcision?

Literal Translation
If, then, the uncircumcision keeps the ordinances of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore yf the vncircumcision kepe the righte thinges conteyned in the lawe, shal not his vncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Mace New Testament (1729)
if therefore an uncircumcised Gentile keep the moral precepts contained in the law, shall not he be reckon'd, as if he were circumcised?

Amplified Bible
So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded [by God] as circumcision?

American Standard Version
If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?

Revised Standard Version
So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Therfore if the vncircumcised kepe the ryght thinges contayned in the lawe: shall not his vncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Update Bible Version
If therefore the uncircumcision keeps the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore, if the uncircumcision keepeth the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Young's Literal Translation
If, therefore the uncircumcision the righteousness of the law may keep, shall not his uncircumcision for circumcision be reckoned?

New Century Version
People who are not Jews are not circumcised, but if they do what the law says, it is as if they were circumcised.

New English Translation
Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

Berean Standard Bible
If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

Contemporary English Version
In fact, if they obey the Law, they are as good as anyone who is circumcised.

Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the Torah, won't his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?

English Standard Version
So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore if the vncircumcision keepe the ordinances of the Lawe, shall not his vncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore, if the uncircumcision keep the statutes of the law, behold would not the uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Hebrew Names Version
If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won't his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?

International Standard Version
So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the law, his uncircumcision will be regarded as circumcision, won't it?Acts 10:34-35;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But if the uncircumcision shall keep the commandment of the law, is not uncircumcisedness reckoned to him (as) circumcision ?

Murdock Translation
And if uncircumcision should keep the precepts of the law, would not that uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?

New Living Translation
And if the Gentiles obey God's law, won't God declare them to be his own people?

New Life Bible
If a person who is not a Jew and has not gone through the act of becoming a Jew, obeys the Law, God will think of him as a Jew.

English Revised Version
If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?

New Revised Standard
So, if those who are uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If then, the uncircumcision, be guarding the righteous requirement of the law, shall not, his uncircumcision, as circumcision be reckoned? -

Douay-Rheims Bible
If then, the uncircumcised keep the justices of the law, shall not this uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Lexham English Bible
Therefore, if the uncircumcised person follows the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be credited for circumcision?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therefore if the vncircumcisio kepe the ordinaunces of the law, shall not his vncircumcisio be counted for circumcisio?

Easy-to-Read Version
Those who are not Jews are not circumcised. But if they do what the law says, it is as if they were circumcised.

New American Standard Bible
So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will his uncircumcision not be regarded as circumcision?

Good News Translation
If the Gentile, who is not circumcised, obeys the commands of the Law, will not God regard him as though he were circumcised?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor if prepucie kepe the riytwisnessis of the lawe, whethir his prepucie schal not be arettid in to circumcisioun?

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, ¹⁸ And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; ¹⁹ And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, ²⁰ An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. ²¹ Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? ²² Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? ²³ Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? ²⁴ For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. ²⁵ For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. ²⁶ Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Isaiah 56:6, Isaiah 56:7, Matthew 8:11, Matthew 8:12, Matthew 15:28, Acts 10:2-4, Acts 10:34, Acts 10:35, Acts 11:3-18, 1 Corinthians 7:18, 1 Corinthians 7:19, Philippians 3:3, Colossians 2:11

Reciprocal: Joshua 5:5 - they had not Jeremiah 9:25 - that Ezekiel 16:52 - which hast Romans 2:1 - whosoever

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore if the uncircumcision keep,.... These words are spoken hypothetically; if any such persons could be found among the Gentiles who keep the whole law of God; and can only be absolutely understood of such, who from a principle of grace act in obedience to the law; as in the hands of Christ, and who look to Christ as the fulfilling end of it, for righteousness; in whom they keep

the righteousness of the law perfectly:

shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? by this question it is suggested, that an uncircumcised Gentile, who keeps the law as in the hands of Christ, and under the influences of his Spirit and grace, and keeps it in Christ, is reckoned a circumcised person in a spiritual sense, and must be preferable to a circumcised Jew that breaks it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Therefore, 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 his uncircumcision - Or, shall the fact that he is uncircumcised stand in the way of the acceptance of his services? Or, shall he not as certainly and as readily be accepted by God as if he were a Jew? Or in other words, the apostle teaches the doctrine that acceptance with God does not depend on a man’s external privileges, but on the state of the heart and life.

Be counted for circumcision - Shall he not be treated as if he were circumcised? Shall his being uncircumcised be any barrier in the way of his acceptance with God? The word rendered “be counted,” is what is commonly rendered “to reckon, to impute”; and its use here shows that the Scripture use of the word is not to transfer, or to charge with what is not deserved, or not true. It means simply that a man shall be treated as if it were so; that this lack of circumcision shall be no bar to acceptance. There is nothing set over to his account; nothing transferred; nothing reckoned different from what it is. God judges things as they are; and as the man, though uncircumcised, who keeps the Law, ought to be treated as if he had been circumcised, so he who believes in Christ agreeably to the divine promise, and trusts to his merits alone for salvation, ought to be treated as if he were himself righteous, God judges the thing as it is, and treats people as it is proper to treat them, as being pardoned and accepted through his Son.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 26. Therefore if the uncircumcision, &c.] 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.