περιτέμνω G4059
To circumcise (active) or to be circumcised (passive/middle); the covenantal rite of cutting away the foreskin.
Peritemno stands at the center of one of the New Testament's most consequential debates: must Gentile believers undergo circumcision to be saved? The verb appears in both active voice (performing the rite) and passive/middle voice (undergoing it), and the distinction matters theologically. In its active sense, it describes Abraham circumcising Isaac on the eighth day (Acts 7:8), the customary circumcision of Jesus (Luke 2:21) and John the Baptist's father's generation (Luke 1:59), and Moses' law commanding the practice (John 7:22). In the passive, it becomes the flashpoint of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1, 5, 24) and Paul's argument that circumcision profits nothing if the law is not kept (Gal 5:2-3; 6:12-13).
Senses
1. be circumcised (passive/middle) — To undergo or receive circumcision, in passive or middle voice, whether as a physical rite of the Mosaic covenant or in a spiritual/figurative sense. Spanish 'ser circuncidado/circuncidaros' and French 'circoncire' capture the recipient's perspective. This is the sense that dominates the apostolic controversy: the Pharisaic believers insist Gentiles must 'be circumcised' (Acts 15:1, 5), Paul resists having Titus circumcised (Gal 2:3), and he warns that those who 'get circumcised' obligate themselves to the whole law (Gal 5:2-3). Paul also spiritualizes the passive in Colossians 2:11, where believers are 'circumcised with a circumcision not made by hands.' 11×
AR["أن-تَختَتِنوا", "أَن-تَختَتِنوا", "اختَتَنتُم", "المُختَتَنونَ", "بِالخِتانِ", "تُختَتَنوا", "خُتِنتُمْ", "لِـيَخْتَتِنْ", "مَخْتوناً", "يَختَتِنُ"]·ben["তোমরা-ছিন্ন-হয়েছিলে", "সুন্নত-প্রাপ্ত", "সুন্নত-হও", "সুন্নত-হও,", "সুন্নত-হওয়া,", "সুন্নত-হচ্ছে", "সুন্নত-হতে", "সুন্নত-হতে,", "সুন্নত-হতে।", "সে-সুন্নত-প্রাপ্ত-হোক।"]·DE["beschneiden", "beschneidet"]·EN["being-circumcised", "having-been-circumcised", "let-him-be-circumcised", "to-be-circumcised", "you-are-circumcised", "you-were-circumcised"]·FR["circoncire"]·heb["הַ-נִמּוֹל", "יִמּוֹל", "לְהִמּוֹל", "לְהִמּוֹל,", "מָהוּל", "נִמַּלְתֶּם", "נִמּוֹלִים", "תִּמּוֹלוּ"]·HI["खतन-करने-के-लिये.", "खतन-करवन,", "खतन-करवने,", "खतन-करवने-वले,", "खतन-करवनेवले", "खतना-करवाओ", "खतना-कराओ", "खतना-किया-हुआ", "तुम-खतन-करवते-हो,", "तुम-खतन-किये-गये"]·ID["Disunat", "disunat", "disunat.", "harus-bersunat", "kamu disunat", "kamu-disunat", "yang-bersunat", "yang-disunat"]·IT["circoncidere"]·jav["dipun-sunat", "dipun-sunat.", "dipunsunat", "dipunsunat,", "ingkang-dipunsunat,", "panjenengan-dipun-tetak", "panjenengan-kasunat", "panjenengan-sami-dipunsunat,", "supados-dipun-sunat."]·KO["너희가-할례-받았다", "할례-받으라", "할례-받은", "할례를-받는,", "할례를-받으면,", "할례를.", "할례받는-자들이", "할례받도록,", "할례받으라고", "할례받지"]·PT["Circuncidado", "a-ser-circuncidado", "fordes-circuncidados", "fostes-circuncidados", "que-se-circuncida", "se-circuncide.", "serdes-circuncidados", "vos-circuncidardes"]·RU["Обрезанным", "обрежетесь", "обрезаны", "обрезать", "обрезаться", "обрезываетесь", "обрезываться", "обрезывающемуся", "обрезывающиеся", "пусть-обрезывается."]·ES["a-circuncidaros", "a-ser-circuncidado", "circuncidaros", "circuncidándose", "fuisteis-circuncidados", "os-circuncidáis", "se-circuncide", "ser-circuncidados", "sois-circuncidados", "¿Circuncidado"]·SW["Je,-mtu-aliyetahiriwa", "anayetahiriwa", "asitahiriwe.", "kutahiriwa", "mkitahiriwa", "mlitahiriwa", "mtahiriwe", "wanaotahiriwa"]·TR["sunnet-edildiniz", "sünnet olsun", "sünnet-olana", "sünnet-olanlar", "sünnet-olmak", "sünnet-olmaya", "sünnet-olmayı", "sünnet-olunursanız", "sünnet-olursanız", "sünnetli"]·urd["تم-ختنہ-ہوئے", "ختنہ-شدہ", "ختنہ-کراؤ", "ختنہ-کرائے", "ختنہ-کرانا", "ختنہ-کرانے-والے", "ختنہ-کرانے-کو", "ختنہ-کروانا", "ختنہ-کیے-جاؤ"]
2. circumcise (active) — To perform the act of circumcision on someone, in active voice, cutting away the foreskin as a covenantal or ritual act. German 'beschneiden' and Spanish 'circuncidar' present the agent's action straightforwardly. Abraham circumcised Isaac on the eighth day (Acts 7:8), the neighbors sought to circumcise John according to custom (Luke 1:59), and Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day (Luke 2:21). Jesus points out that Moses gave circumcision and the people circumcise on the Sabbath (John 7:22), using the active voice to highlight human agency in the covenantal rite. Paul circumcised Timothy strategically (Acts 16:3), showing the rite could still be practiced voluntarily. 7×
AR["أَن-تُختَنوا", "تَخْتِنُونَ", "خَتَنَهُ", "لِيَخْتِنُوا", "لِيُخْتَنَ", "يَخْتِنُوا"]·ben["ত্বকছেদ-করলেন", "সুন্নত-কর", "সুন্নত-করতে", "সুন্নত-করলেন"]·DE["beschneiden", "beschneidet"]·EN["circumcised", "to-circumcise", "you-circumcise"]·FR["circoncire"]·heb["לָמוּל", "מָל", "מָלִים-אַתֶּם"]·HI["खतना-करते-हो", "खतना-करना", "खतना-करने", "खतना-करने-को", "खतना-किया"]·ID["itu", "kamu-menyunat", "menyunat", "untuk-menyunat"]·IT["circoncidere", "peritemein", "peritemnete"]·jav["netaki", "nyunat", "nyunati", "supados-nyunat"]·KO["할례를-행한다", "할례하기를", "할례하러", "할례하지-말라고", "할례할", "할례했다"]·PT["circuncidais", "circuncidar", "circuncidou", "circuncidá-los,", "para-circuncidar"]·RU["обрезал", "обрезать", "обрезываете", "обрезывать"]·ES["a-circuncidar", "circuncidar", "circuncidáis", "circuncidó"]·SW["akamtahiri", "alimtahiri", "kumtahiri", "kutahiri", "kuwatahiri", "mnatahiri"]·TR["sünnet-ediyorsunuz", "sünnet-etmek", "sünnet-etmemelerini", "sünnet-etmeye", "sünnet-etti"]·urd["ختنہ-کرتے-ہو", "ختنہ-کرنا", "ختنہ-کرنے", "ختنہ-کیا"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
περιτέμνω, Epic dialect and Ionic dialect περι-τάμνω, cut or clip round about, οἴνας περιταμνέμεν prune them, Refs 8th c.BC+; of a goldsmith, Refs 2nd c.AD+ —middle, βραχίονας περιτάμνονται make incisions all over their arms, Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, to be cut up, of fish, Refs 4th c.BC+ __2 of circumcision, τῶν ἐπιγινομένων οὐ περιτάμνουσι τὰ αἰδοῖα Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τοὺς παῖδας LXX+3rd c.BC+,…