Acts 16:3

But the Jewish people in those places knew that Timothy’s father was Greek, and they knew that the Greek people don’t do a young man operation on their boys, like the Jewish people do. Paul wanted Timothy to go around with him to a lot of places, and he wanted the Jewish mob in every place to be happy with Timothy, so he got them to do a young man operation on Timothy.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

In Context

2All the Christians there in Listra said that Timothy was a good man, and all the Christians in the town nearby, called Iconium, they said that too.

4Then Paul, Silas and Timothy went through that country, and in every town they told the Christians about the things that the leaders in Jerusalem talked about, and they told them all to do everything that those leaders said in their letter.

Read all of Acts 16

Cross References

Acts 15:37Barnabas said, “Yes. And let’s take John Mark with us.”

1 Corinthians 7:19It doesn’t matter if you get that Jewish operation, or not. This is what’s important, you have to do what God tells us all to do.

Galatians 2:3You see, Titus was there with me, and he is a Greek man, not a Jew. But there were some Jewish men that came secretly into the church in Jerusalem. They reckoned they believed in Jesus, but they didn’t really trust him properly. They only came into the church to see what we were doing. And they reckoned that Titus had to follow the Jewish law and have a young man operation. But, you see, if we belong to Jesus Christ, we are free from that law. But those men wanted to force us to keep that law.

Galatians 5:1Listen, Jesus Christ has set us free, and we are properly free. So be strong and stay free. Don’t let anyone make you follow that law again. If you do, it’s like they make you a prisoner again, because they say you have to do everything that law says.

Matthew Henry on Acts 16:2-6

Paul's Adoption of Timothy. 1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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