17 But if you call yourself a Jew and ^zrely ^aon the law and boast in God 18 and ^bknow his will and ^capprove what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a ^dguide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 ^eyou then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, ^fdo you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who ^gboast in the law dishonor God by ^hbreaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, ⁱ“The name of God is blasphemed ^jamong the Gentiles because of you.”

25 ^kFor ^lcircumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 ^mSo, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded¹ as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically² uncircumcised but keeps the law will ⁿcondemn you who have the ^owritten code³ and circumcision but break the law. 28 For ^pno one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and ^qcircumcision is a matter of the heart, ^rby the Spirit, not by the letter. ^sHis praise is not from man but from God.

1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, ^tthe Jews were entrusted with the ^uoracles of God. 3 ^vWhat if some were unfaithful? ^wDoes their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,

5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, ^ywhat shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could ^zGod judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And ^awhy not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.