Romans 2:29
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Study Note
Study Note
'But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God' — the verse is the conclusion of Paul's sustained argument (Romans 2:17–29) about the insufficiency of ethnic and ritual status before the divine judge. The 'circumcision of the heart' (peritomē kardias) is not a Pauline innovation but draws on Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6, and Jeremiah 4:4, where the prophets themselves inwardized the covenant marker. The wordplay on 'Jew' (Ioudaios) and 'praise' (ainesis/yahadah from the Hebrew root of Judah) is present in the Greek and reflects a profound etymological theology: true Judaism is defined by divine praise, not communal recognition. The verse anticipates the Spirit-versus-letter antithesis of Romans 7–8 and 2 Corinthians 3, anchoring new covenant life in pneumatic transformation rather than Torah observance.
Other Translations
but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
but a Jew <FI>is<Fi> he who is <FI>so<Fi> inwardly, and circumcision <FI>is<Fi> of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, of which the praise is not of men, but of God.
But he is a Jew who is a secret one, whose circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
Cross References
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy …
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I …
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the …
The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of …
O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within …
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, …
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; …