Galatians 6:15
in Galatians 6For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
KJV
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
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This verse in Galatians 6
Commentary
13 notes on this verse(v. 15) For neither circumcision is anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. As faithful and unfaithful, when there is one in substance, are divided into two according to the diversity of understanding, the Apostle saying: Stripping yourselves of the old man with his works, and putting on the new, who is renewed unto knowledge according to the image of the Creator (Colossians 3:9-10): in the same way, the world, although it is one in substance, is made different according to the understanding. Sinners, the old world is: holy, new.
This site's exposition
save in the cross
on Galatians 6:14-15
Against their glorying Paul sets his only boast, the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the crucifixion chain of the letter reaches its last beat: the world crucified unto me, and I unto the world, a double death that ends the world's claim on him and his on it. Verse 15 draws the standard beneath the whole dispute: neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but a new creature. The new creation, not the old badge, is what God is making.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Paul also mentions a new creation in his letter to the Corinthians. … The strict meaning of new creation is the transformation of all things which will occur after the resurrection from the dead. For then the creation will be freed from sin's burden and …
"For neither is circumcision any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." Observe the power of the Cross, to what a pitch it hath raised him! not only hath it put to death for him all mundane affairs, but hath set him far above the Old Dispensation. What can be comparable to this power? for the Cross hath persuaded him, who was willing to be slain and to slay others for the sake of circumcision, to leave it on a level with uncircumcision, and to seek for things strange and marvellous and above the heavens. This our rule of life he calls "a new creature," both on account of what is past, and of what is to come; of what is past, because our soul, which had grown old with the oldness of sin, hath been all at once renewed by baptism, as if it had been created again. Wherefore we require a new and heavenly rule of life. And of things to come, because both the heaven and the earth, and all the creation, shall with our bodies be translated into incorruption. Tell me not then, he says, of circumcision, which now availeth nothing; (for how shall it appear, when all things have undergone such a change?) but seek the new things of grace. For they who pursue these things shall enjoy peace and amity, and may properly be called by the name of "Israel." While they who hold contrary sentiments, although they be descended from him (Israel) and bear his appellation, have yet fallen away from all these things, both the relationship and the name itself. But it is in their power to be true Israelites, who keep this rule, who desist from the old ways, and follow after grace.
— [OECUMENIUS] "but a new creation." A new creation, he says, of all things; for all who were circumcised and those uncircumcised alike, having believed, have become a new creation, having buried the old man, and we having been regenerated by the washing of baptism. …
The Medieval Church2 voices
The reason why he glories in nothing else is given when he says, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." Indeed, he glories mainly in that which avails and helps in joining him to Christ; for it …
Do not point out to me, he says, circumcision, which has no power and is useless, just as uncircumcision is: for Christ has renewed all things and requires of us a new life. Life according to Christ is a "new creation" because your souls, which …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
9, 12 ) the Jewish Christians are called the circumcision, and those of the circumcision. The false teachers were very zealous for circumcision; yea, to such a degree as to represent it as necessary to salvation, and therefore they did all they could to constrain the Gentile Christians to submit to it.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
For neither circumcision is anything, nor uncircumcision - Neither of these is of any account. But a new creation - Whereby all things in us become new.
For in Christ Jesus,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For in Christ Jesus - In his religion; see the note at Gal 5:6. But a new creature - The fact that a man is created anew, or born again, constitutes the real difference between him and other people. This is what Christ requires; this is the distinction which he designs to make.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
availeth--The oldest manuscripts read, "is" (compare Ga 5:6). Not only are they of no avail, but they are nothing. So far are they from being matter for "glorying," that they are "nothing." But Christ's cross is "all in all," as a subject for glorying, in "the new creature" (Eph 2:10, 15, 16). new creature-- (2Co 5:17).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
In Christ Jesus - Under the dispensation of the Gospel, of which he is head and supreme, neither circumcision - nothing that the Jew can boast of, nothing that the Gentile can call excellent, availeth any thing - can in the least contribute to the salvation of the soul. But a new creature - Αλλα καινη κτισις· But a new creation; not a new creature merely, (for this might be restrained to any new power or faculty), but a total renewal of the whole man, of all the powers and passions of the soul; and as creation could not be effected but by the power of the Almighty, so this change cannot be effected but by the same energy; no circumcision can do this; only the power that made the man at first can new make him. See the note on 1Co 7:19, and on 2Co 5:17 (note).
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὔτε | oute | Neither | G3777 → | 87 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| περιτομή | peritome | circumcision | G4061 → | 36 times |
| τί | ti | anything | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| οὔτε | oute | nor | G3777 → | 87 times |
| ἀκροβυστία | akrobustia | uncircumcision | G203 → | 20 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | instead | G235 → | 635 times |
| καινὴ | kaine | a new | G2537 → | |
| κτίσις. | ktisis | creation. | G2937 → |
οὔτεNeither
outeG3777 →87 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
περιτομήcircumcision
peritomeG4061 →36 times
τίanything
tiG5101 →563 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
οὔτεnor
outeG3777 →87 times
ἀκροβυστίαuncircumcision
akrobustiaG203 →20 times
ἀλλὰinstead
allaG235 →635 times
καινὴa new
kaineG2537 →
κτίσις.creation.
ktisisG2937 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
it leads to
- Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
- Ephesians 4:22–24
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- Isaiah 43:18–19
“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old.
- John 3:3
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
- Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
- Ezekiel 36:26
Through
Ephesians 2:10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
it leads to
- Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
- Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
- Hebrews 13:21
equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Philippians 2:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Galatians
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Galatians; John Calvin, Commentary on Galatians; John Chrysostom, Homily on Galatians 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Galatians; Theodoret of Cyrus, EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 6.15; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Galatians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Galatians.