# Epistle of Barnabas 9.5

- Author: Anonymous
- Work: [Epistle of Barnabas](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/) (*Epistula Barnabae*)
- Date: ca. 70–135 (often ca. 130) (disputed)
- Source: Lake, LCL 24:372; Kirsopp Lake, ed. and trans., The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1, LCL 24 (London: Heinemann; New York: Macmillan, 1912), 340–407 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912), digitized by the Perseus Digital Library and published by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26
- Canonical URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/9/5/

Summary: The prophets call for circumcision of the heart.

## Greek text

λέγει πρὸς αὐτούς· Τάδε λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν ʽὧδε εὑρίσκω ἐντολήνʼ· Μὴ σπείρητε ἐπʼ ἀκάνθαις, περιτμήθητε τῷ κυρίῳ ὑμῶν. καὶ τί λέγει; Περιτμήθητε τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν, καὶ τὸν τράχηλον ὑμῶν οὐ σκληρυνεῖτε. λάβε πάλιν· Ἰδού, λέγει κύριος, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἀπερίτμητα ἀκροβυστίαν, ὁ δὲ λαὸς οὗτος ἀπερίτμητος καρδίας.

## English translation (Claude)

He says to them, “Thus says the Lord your God” (here I find a commandment): “Do not sow among thorns; be circumcised to your Lord.” And what does he say? “Circumcise your hardness of heart, and do not stiffen your neck.” Take this again: “Behold, says the Lord, all the nations are uncircumcised in foreskin, but this people is uncircumcised in heart.”

## Scripture references

- Jer 4:3: quotation, high confidence
- Jer 4:4: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 10:16: quotation, high confidence
- Jer 9:26: quotation, high confidence

## Citation (SBL)

Barn. 9.5 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/barnabas/9/5/).