Galatians 5:11

And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

And {G1161} I {G1473}, brethren {G80}, if {G1487} I {G2784} yet {G2089} preach {G2784} circumcision {G4061}, why {G5101} do I {G1377} yet {G2089} suffer persecution {G1377}? then {G686} is {G2673} the offence {G4625} of the cross {G4716} ceased {G2673}.

And as for me, brothers, if I am still preaching that circumcision is necessary, why am I still being persecuted? If that were the case, my preaching about the execution-stake would cause no offense whatever.

Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.

But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then hath the stumbling-block of the cross been done away.

In Galatians 5:11, the Apostle Paul confronts a central issue facing the early church: the insistence by some (known as Judaizers) that Gentile believers must undergo circumcision and adhere to the Mosaic Law to be truly saved. Paul uses a powerful rhetorical question to underscore the truth of his gospel message.

Context

The book of Galatians is a fervent defense of the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, without the need for adherence to the Jewish Law or rituals like circumcision. False teachers had infiltrated the Galatian churches, claiming that Paul's gospel was incomplete and that believers needed to be circumcised to be justified before God. Paul vehemently rejects this, calling such teaching a "different gospel" (Galatians 1:6). In this verse, he directly challenges the notion that he himself might be preaching circumcision, using his own ongoing persecution as proof to the contrary.

Key Themes

  • The Purity of the Gospel: Paul's rhetorical question highlights the fundamental conflict between salvation by grace and salvation by works of the Law. If circumcision were necessary, the gospel would be compromised, and Christ's sacrifice would be insufficient.
  • Persecution as Validation: Paul argues that his continued suffering and opposition from Jewish legalists serve as evidence that he is *not* preaching circumcision. If he were, he would avoid much of the intense persecution he endures for proclaiming Christ's finished work on the cross (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-28). His suffering confirms his commitment to the true gospel of grace.
  • The Offence of the Cross: This phrase refers to the "stumbling block" or "scandal" that the message of a crucified Messiah and salvation through His death alone presented, especially to Jews who sought signs and Greeks who sought wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:23). If circumcision or other legal requirements were added, the cross would lose its unique, radical, and offensive power as the sole means of redemption. Its necessity would be diminished, and the "offence" it caused would cease.

Linguistic Insights

The term "offence" in "the offence of the cross" comes from the Greek word skandalon (σκάνδαλον). This word originally referred to the bait stick of a trap, a snare, or a stumbling block. In a theological sense, it signifies something that causes one to stumble, fall away, or be offended. For many, the idea of salvation coming through a crucified man, rather than through adherence to a complex legal system or philosophical wisdom, was deeply offensive and difficult to accept.

Practical Application

Galatians 5:11 remains highly relevant today. It reminds believers to guard against any teaching that adds requirements to the simple gospel of grace. The core message is that salvation is a free gift received by faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by human effort, rituals, or legalistic practices. Any attempt to add to Christ's finished work on the cross diminishes its power and removes its "offence"—the scandal of a divine, unmerited grace that levels all human pretensions. We are called to stand firm in the freedom Christ has given us, resisting any teaching that would put us back under a yoke of bondage.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:23

    But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

  • Galatians 6:12

    As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

  • Galatians 4:29

    But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.

  • Galatians 2:3

    But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

  • 1 Corinthians 15:30

    And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?

  • Acts 21:21

    And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children, neither to walk after the customs.

  • Acts 16:3

    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.

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