Galatians 6:12

Verse

Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.

American Standard Version (1901)

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Bible in Basic English

Those who have the desire to seem important in the flesh, put force on you to undergo circumcision; only that they may not be attacked because of the cross of Christ.

Douay-Rheims 1899

For as many as desire to please in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer the persecution of the cross of Christ.

Free Bible Version

Those people who only want to make a good impression are forcing you to be circumcised just so they won't be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Geneva Bible 1599

As many as desire to make a faire shewe in the flesh, they constraine you to be circumcised, onely because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ.

King James (Authorized) Version

As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Plain English Version

Some Jewish Christians are trying to force you to have that young man operation. They want the other Jews to think that you follow the Jewish law. You see, those other Jews will make trouble for anyone that believes that Jesus died on the cross to save them, and the Jewish Christians don’t want to get that trouble.

Translation for Translators

Some Jewish believers are trying to force you to perform certain rituals so that other Jews will think highly of them. They are insisting that you be circumcised {that someone must circumcise you}. They are doing that only in order that other Jews would no longer ◄persecute them/cause them to suffer► for proclaiming that God will save us because of our trusting in what Christ accomplished when he died on the cross [MTY, MET].

Unlocked Literal Bible

Those who want to make a good impression in the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They do this only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Noah Webster Bible

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

World English Bible

As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised, just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Young's Literal Translation

as many as are willing to make a good appearance in the flesh, these constrain you to be circumcised — only that for the cross of the Christ they may not be persecuted,

Context

Final Warnings and Blessings

¹¹See what large letters I am using to write to you with my own hand!¹²Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.¹³For the circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

Sermons

(Common Market) Its Power

Willie Mullan

1.8K

Glorying in the Cross

Rolfe Barnard

729

(Reformers and Their Stepchildren) Rottengeister! - Part 1

Leonard Verduin

Summary

In Galatians 6:12, the apostle Paul addresses the pressure faced by the Galatian Christians to conform to Jewish customs, particularly circumcision. He highlights that those advocating for circumcision are doing so to avoid persecution for preaching the message of the cross. Paul emphasizes that true believers should boast only in the cross of Jesus Christ, which is the source of their salvation and the means through which they are made new creations. This verse underscores the importance of standing firm in the freedom and grace found in Christ, rather than seeking approval or validation from the world through external rituals or traditions.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

A fair show in the flesh - The Jewish religion was general in the region of Galatia, and it was respectable, as it appears that the principal inhabitants were either Jews or proselytes. As it was then professed and practiced among the Jews, this religion had nothing very grievous to the old man; an unrenewed nature might go through all its observances with little pain or cross-bearing. On the other hand, Christianity could not be very popular; it was too strict. A Jew made a fair show there, according to his carnal system, and it was a temptation to a weak Christian to swerve into Judaism, that he might be exempted from persecution, and be creditable among his countrymen. This is what the apostle intimates: "They constrain you to be circumcised, lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ."

John Gill Bible Commentary

But neither they themselves that are circumcised,.... That is, the pleaders for, and preachers of circumcision, whether they themselves were actually circumcised, or not; it means those that were of the circumcision, on that side of the question, whether heartily or not: keep the law; of circumcision, as persons may preach up that, which they themselves do not practise; as did the Pharisees, the predecessors of these men; or if they did keep the law, and submit to it, yet this might be done, not out of regard unto it, and zeal for it, but for some other end; as Simon Magus submitted to baptism, and others preached Christ of envy and contention, and not of good will; or if they did do it in obedience to the law, yet this was not keeping the whole law, which circumcision obliged to; and which, unless they did so keep it, would signify nothing; and this no man is capable of keeping perfectly, and consequently no righteousness, life, and salvation, can be had hereby: besides, though these men were so zealous for the lighter matters of the law, the rites and ceremonies of it, as circumcision, &c. they disregarded the weightier and more material parts of it, as judgment, mercy, and faith; these they kept not, nor attended to: and many of them lived very dissolute lives and conversations, at least secretly, if not openly; which abundantly proved that they were far from keeping the law; and that their pleading for it, and submitting to some of the rituals of it, were not out of pure love and strict regard to it, but for some other end: but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh; that is, in the circumcision of it; or, as the Ethiopic version, "in your bodies". Their view in bringing persons to submit to circumcision was, that they might have occasion to glory among the Jews, and boast to them of the numbers of proselytes they brought, and of the service they did to Judaism, and so increase their fame and glory among them.

Galatians 6:12

Final Warnings and Blessings

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.

American Standard Version (1901)

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Bible in Basic English

Those who have the desire to seem important in the flesh, put force on you to undergo circumcision; only that they may not be attacked because of the cross of Christ.

Douay-Rheims 1899

For as many as desire to please in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer the persecution of the cross of Christ.

Free Bible Version

Those people who only want to make a good impression are forcing you to be circumcised just so they won't be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Geneva Bible 1599

As many as desire to make a faire shewe in the flesh, they constraine you to be circumcised, onely because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ.

King James (Authorized) Version

As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Plain English Version

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

Those who want to make a good impression in the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They do this only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Noah Webster Bible

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

World English Bible

As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised, just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Young's Literal Translation

as many as are willing to make a good appearance in the flesh, these constrain you to be circumcised — only that for the cross of the Christ they may not be persecuted,

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Galatians 6:12

Verse

Context

Final Warnings and Blessings

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Galatians 6:12

Final Warnings and Blessings

(Common Market) Its Power

Glorying in the Cross

(Reformers and Their Stepchildren) Rottengeister! - Part 1

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes