1 Corinthians 7:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

NIV: Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.

NASB: Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.

CSB: Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter. Keeping God’s commands is what matters.

NLT: For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God’s commandments.

KJV: Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

NKJV: Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.

Paul has written that those who are married or single should, in many cases, remain as they are when they come to faith in Christ. Now he has expanded on this idea to include other areas of life, such as circumcision. Christian men who are circumcised should not seek out the surgery to reverse or conceal circumcision. Neither should uncircumcised Christians get circumcised.

Why would a man wish to do either of these things? Greco-Roman cultures were far less modest, in terms of nudity, as compared to later western worldviews. It was common for men to be nude in front of other men, such as at baths, in athletics, or in military training. In some public baths or competing in official sporting events, men were often nude in front of public crowds. In that way, their circumcision status would be easily known.

A Jewish man might wish to be "uncircumcised" in order to help his standing among Gentiles. A Gentile might want to be circumcised for the same reason: to be more acceptable to the Jews. Some might have been persuaded by Jewish leaders that God required circumcision for genuine salvation. On the other hand, those convinced by Paul and other teachers that circumcision was a non-issue for salvation, might have sought to remove the evidence that they once trusted in it to save them.

Paul rejects all of this and commands men to stay as they are either way. He insists that circumcision simply does not matter to God. Salvation comes only by God's grace and through faith in Christ. God cares about obedience that comes as a result of that faith. He does not care about whether a man is circumcised or not.

First Corinthians 7:17–24 expands on Paul's rule of thumb: that Christians should remain in whatever situation they were in when they came to faith in Christ. Later text clarifies that Paul is not denouncing marriage or forbidding it in any sense. Married or not, circumcised or not, slave or free, Christians aren't obligated to radically upend every aspect of their lives and relationships. Slaves, though, are encouraged to gain their freedom if available. A believing slave is, in fact, free in Christ, while a Christian who is free in this life is, in truth, a slave to Christ. We all belong to God. Our eternal position in Christ matters far more than our temporary position in this life.

Paul rejects an idea concerning the Corinthian believers: that married Christians should not have sex. Perhaps some even thought marriages should be dissolved and avoided. On the contrary, Scripture says married Christians should have regular sex in order to avoid temptation. Those who are married ought to remain married. Unmarried believers with the gift of celibacy, however, should consider remaining single in order to avoid the troubles of marriage. That is Paul's personal preference, though that gift is not given to all others. Single believers can devote themselves to serving Christ without distraction. The time is short. All believers should live and serve Christ now as if this world is passing away.

First Corinthians 7 follows Paul's teaching in the previous chapter, which focused mostly on avoiding sexual immorality. Here he commands married husbands and wives not to deprive each other of sex, or get divorced, in a misguided attempt to be more spiritual. Unmarried people who can live contentedly without sex, however, should consider remaining single in order to serve Christ undivided. Getting married is good, but the time is short. The form of this world is passing away. Unmarried people should think about the opportunities to avoid trouble and serve Christ that come with staying single.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.