Is Circumcision Mutilation of the Flesh? (Phil. 3:2)
By
James Scott Trimm
Another passage that has been frequently quoted in an attempt to wrongly teach that circumcision has been abolished is Philippians 3:2. The following are a number of translations of this verse taken from the Greek:
Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.
(Phil. 3:2 NIV)
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
(Phil. 3:2 NAS)
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the circumcision.
(Phil. 3:2 KJV)
Some have even mistranslated the Aramaic so as to agree with the false Greek reading:
Beware of dogs; beware of evildoers; beware of the circumcisers.
(Phil. 3:2 Aramaic Bible in Plain English, Bauscher)
Beware of vicious men, beware of evil workers, beware of circumcising.
(Phil. 3:2 Lamsa)
However this translation is totally without basis in the Aramaic. The Aramaic reads:
אזדהרו מן כלבא אזדהרו מן פעלא בישא אזדהרו מן פסק בסרא
This is literally rendered in the HRV:
Beware of dogs; beware of evildoers; beware of the cutting of flesh.
(Phil. 3:2 HRV)
The Aramaic is also similarly translated in the Murdock and Etheridge translations:
Beware of dogs; beware of evil doers; beware of the clipped in flesh.
(Phil. 3:2 Murdock)
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the cutting of the flesh.
(Phil. 3:2 Etheridge)
This passage is not speaking about circumcision at all. Instead it is referring back to the Gentile practice of making tattoos, which is forbidden by the Torah:
You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor imprint any marks upon you: I am YHWH.
(Lev. 19:28 HRV)
We must still raise at least $250 by the end of the day today to cover bills hitting our account tonight!
If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work, now is the time to step up to the plate, as we are in a budget shortfall.
Do not expect that the established religious denominations are going to be reformed and accomplish this paradigm shift. They are to set in their ways to be of any use to Elohim. To the contrary the established religious leaders are the single greatest deterrent to the promotion of the truth today.
We cannot do this work alone, but if we work together we can accomplish so much. So don’t forget to support this work with your contributions, tithes and offerings.
You make this work possible. Please help us bring the message of Torah and Messiah to a lost world and create Scripture study materials for believers.
Now is time to step up to the plate!
