23 νος τὰ εἴδωλα, ἱεροσυλεῖς· ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχά

σαι, διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν θεὸν 24 ἀτιμάζεις. • Τὸ γὰρ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ δι ̓ ὑ

25

μᾶς βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, καθὼς γέ

γραπται.

Περιτομὴ μὲν γὰρ ὠφελεῖ, ἐὰν νόμον πράσ σῃς· ἐὰν δὲ παραβάτης νόμου ᾖς, ἡ περιτομή 26 σου ἀκροβυστία γέγονεν. Ἐὰν οὖν ἡ ἀκροβυστία τὰ δικαιώματα τοῦ νόμου φυλάσσῃ, · οὐχὶ ἡ ἀκροβυστία αὐτοῦ εἰς περιτομὴν λου 27 γισθήσεται; καὶ κρινεῖ ἡ ἐκ φύσεως ἀκροβυσε τία τὸν νόμον τελοῦσα, σὲ τὸν διὰ γράμμα. 28 τος καὶ περιτομῆς παραβάτην νόμου. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ, Ἰουδαῖος ἐστιν· οὐδὲ ἡ ἐν τῷ

23 his temple? If thou who boastest in the possession of the law, by thy transgression of the law 24 bringest dishonour upon the name of God? For, as it is said by the ancient prophets, The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles on account of the vices of you who profess to serve him.'

25

Do not suppose either that the mere rite of circumcision will save thee; for the blessing of God is conditional upon obedience: if therefore thou art an habitual violater of the law, thou, though a circumcised person, shalt be considered 26 and treated as if thou wert uncircumcised. And if, on the other hand, an uncircumcised Gentile obeys the law, shall not he, though uncircumcised, obtain all the blessings attached to the covenant, of which circumcision is but the external 27 mark? And shall not his obedience, even in his natural state of uncircumcision, condemn thee, who, though nurtered in the knowledge of God's revealed will, and dedicated to his service by circumcision, art still a transgressor of the law. 28 For, as to all spiritual blessings, he is not one of the chosen people, who is merely a descendant of Abraham by natural birth; nor are the blessings of the covenant attached to mere bodily cir

κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖος, καὶ περιτομὴ καρδίας, ἐν

Ο

πνεύματι, οὐ γράμματι· οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ.

Κεφ. γ'. 1. Τί οὖν τὸ περισσὸν τοῦ Ἰουδαίου ; ἢ 2 τίς ἡ ὠφέλεια τῆς περιτομῆς; Πολὺ, κατὰ πάντα τρόπον. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ, ὅτι ἐπιστεύ 3 θησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ. Τί γάρ; εἰ ἠπίσε τησαν τινὲς, μὴ ἡ ἀπιστία αὐτῶν τὴν πίστιν

spiritual promises made to the Jews, whose principles and conduct are such as God requires of his people and the only circumcision that is valid in the sight of God, is that internal change of heart, in conformity with the spirit, not the mere letter of the law, which receives its reward and its praise, not from man, but from God.

Ch. III. 1. If, however, the real state of the case be as I have represented it, some may be disposed to ask, what advantage then has the Jew, and 2 what is the benefit of circumcision? Now, though I assert that the mere fact of having been born a Jew, or of having been circumcised, is totally unavailing to justification; yet, on the other hand, I maintain that the advantages which, from the time of Abraham down to the present day, God has bestowed upon his chosen people, are in every point of view most important. And, as their most important privilege, I may mention, that to them alone was committed the record of 3 God's promises respecting the Messiah. And what though some of them have been unfaithful, does their unfaithfulness and its punishment impeach the faithfulness of God to his promise? 4 Far from it.-Nay, if the whole nation had failed of attaining the blessing promised to Abraham

κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖος, καὶ περιτομὴ καρδίας, ἐν πνεύματι, οὐ γράμματι· οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Κεφ. γ'. 1. Τί οὖν τὸ περισσὸν τοῦ Ἰουδαίου ; ἢ 2 τίς ἡ ὠφέλεια τῆς περιτομῆς; Πολὺ, κατὰ πάντα τρόπον. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ, ὅτι ἐπιστεύ 3 θησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τί γάρ; εἰ ἠπίστησαν τινὲς, μὴ ἡ ἀπιστία αὐτῶν τὴν πίστιν