Word Study for G4059 (περιτέμνω)

peritémnō /per-ee-tem'-no/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom περί and the base of τομώτερος

Meaningto cut around, i.e. (specially) to circumcise

KJV usagecircumcise.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of peritémnō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word peritémnō, represented by G4059, is defined as to cut around, used specially to circumcise. It appears 22 times across 16 unique verses in the Bible. The term is central to understanding the physical rite of circumcision as a Jewish custom and the significant theological conflict it created within the early church regarding salvation and the inclusion of Gentiles.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G4059 is used in several key contexts. It is presented as a historical practice rooted in the covenant God made with the patriarchs, as when Abraham circumcised his son Isaac Acts 7:8. This custom continued under the law of Moses, and it was on the eighth day that both Jesus and John the Baptist were brought to be circumcised (Luke 2:21, Luke 1:59). The term becomes a focal point of conflict in the early church when some from Judaea taught that Gentiles could not be saved unless they were circumcised Acts 15:1. The Apostle Paul strongly refuted this, arguing that if someone is circumcised as a requirement for righteousness, Christ will profit them nothing Galatians 5:2.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the debate surrounding the act of being circumcised:

G4061 peritomḗ (circumcision): This noun refers to the rite itself. Paul uses it to contrast a physical act with a spiritual one, explaining that believers are circumcised with a circumcision made without hands Colossians 2:11.
G3551 nómos (law): The pressure to be circumcised was directly tied to keeping the law of Moses Acts 15:5. Paul taught that anyone who is circumcised for salvation becomes a debtor to the whole law Galatians 5:3.
G4561 sárx (flesh): The act of circumcision is performed in the flesh. Paul warns against those who desire to make a "fair shew in the flesh" or glory G2744 in the flesh of others Galatians 6:12-13.
G1484 éthnos (Gentile, nation): The core of the debate was whether Gentiles needed to be circumcised to be part of God's people. Paul was accused of teaching Jews among the Gentiles not to circumcise their children Acts 21:21.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4059 is immense, marking a pivotal shift from the Old to the New Covenant.

From Covenant Sign to Legalistic Burden: What began as a sign of God's covenant Acts 7:8 was distorted by some into a legalistic requirement for salvation Acts 15:1. Paul clarifies that relying on this act for justification places a person in bondage to the entire law G3551 Galatians 5:3.
Spiritual Circumcision in Christ: The New Testament redefines the concept spiritually. Believers are circumcised with the "circumcision of Christ," which is the "putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh" Colossians 2:11. This is an internal work of God, not an external rite.
A Matter of Calling, Not Salvation: Paul instructs that a believer's physical state at conversion is not what matters. A man called while circumcised should not become uncircumcised, and one called in uncircumcision should not be circumcised 1 Corinthians 7:18.
Worldly vs. Godly Motivation: The insistence on circumcision often stemmed from a desire to avoid persecution G1377 for the cross G4716 of Christ, rather than from genuine faith Galatians 6:12.

Summary

In summary, peritémnō is far more than a word describing a physical act. It is a key term that illuminates the transition from the old covenant to the new. Its usage tracks the evolution of a covenant sign into a point of intense theological debate, ultimately being redefined by the apostles as a spiritual reality in Christ G5547. The discussion around whether one must be circumcised is central to the New Testament's message of salvation by grace through faith, apart from works of the law.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 18 occurrences, inflected in 13 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Present Passive Infinitive 3×
2nd Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
2nd Aorist Active Infinitive 2×
Present Active Infinitive 2×
2nd Aorist Passive Indicative 2nd Plural 1×
Aorist Passive Infinitive 1×
Aorist Passive Subjunctive 2nd Plural 1×
Perfect Passive Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Present Active Indicative 2nd Plural 1×
Present Passive Imperative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Passive Participle Dative Singular Masculine 1×
Present Passive Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×

+ 1 rarer form

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 16 verses across 6 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts (6 verses); never once in the other 21.

Luke

John

Acts

1 Corinthians

Galatians

Colossians

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.