“If I Still Proclaim Circumcision” (Galatians 5:11a): Paul, the Law, and Gentile Circumcision

Abstract

In Gal 5:11a, Paul openly confessed that at some point in the past he had proclaimed circumcision (εἰ περιτομὴν ἒτι κηρύσσω). According to Douglas Campbell, this verse clearly (if embarrassingly) indicates that early on in his apostolic mission, Paul preached circumcision to Gentiles, only later abandoning the practice. This article provides a critical assessment of Campbell's arguments before providing a fresh reading of Gal 5:11 that seeks to resolve the chronological conundrum of this verse, to clarify its overall function within Paul's argument in Galatians, and finally to contribute to the ongoing debate on Paul and the Law.