“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.”
Paul wanted to take him along on his journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek — Paul's decision to circumcise Timothy represents a pragmatic concession (peritemno) to facilitate Jewish missionary work in Asia Minor, not a salvific requirement as the Judaizers had insisted. The phrase because of the Jews (dia tous Ioudaious) clarifies the motivation: removing an obstacle to Jewish reception of Timothy's witness. This appears contradictory to the Jerusalem Council's ruling but reflects contextual sensitivity—Timothy's circumcision is optional discipline, not necessary for salvation.
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