If you had known what these words mean, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned the innocent.
Joshua 5:5 - New International Version (Anglicised) All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Though all the people who came out were circumcised, yet all the people who were born in the wilderness on the way after Israel came out of Egypt had not been circumcised. American Standard Version (1901) For all the people that came out were circumcised; but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, they had not circumcised. Common English Bible All the people who went out were circumcised. But none of the people born in the desert on the way after they had left Egypt had been circumcised. Catholic Public Domain Version all these had been circumcised. But the people who were born in the desert, Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Now these were all circumcised. But the people that were born in the desert, |
If you had known what these words mean, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned the innocent.
So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.
Now this is why he did so: all those who came out of Egypt – all the men of military age – died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt.
The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness for forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land that he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.