Is he really a Jew who is one inwardly?

One of the key texts bolstering Christian supersessionism, often called replacement theology, appears in Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans. Most translations align closely with one of these two examples:

For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. (Rom 2:28-29, ESV)

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God. (Rom 2:28-29, NASB)

Even the less conventional Complete Jewish Bible, in my view, entirely misses the Greek’s intent. It renders these pivotal verses like most Christian translations, suggesting Paul contrasts outward and inward when his point differs significantly.

For the real Jew is not merely Jewish outwardly: true circumcision is not only external and physical. 29 On the contrary, the real Jew is one inwardly; and true circumcision is of the heart, spiritual not literal; so that his praise comes not from other people but from God. (Rom 2:28-29, CJB)

I will argue that a translation faithful to the original Greek of this vital letter must convey in English what’s evident in Greek: Paul contrasts “visible with secret,” not “outward with inward.”

The first phrase, τῷ φανερῷ Ἰουδαῖός (tu phanero iudaios), typically translated as “outward Jew” or “Jew outwardly,” could bear that rendering, though “visible Jew” or “Jew visibly” aligns more closely with a direct translation. Yet, the second phrase, τῷ κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖος (tu krupto iudaios), cannot reasonably become “Jew inwardly” if it aims to reflect Paul’s original juxtaposition accurately.

The word κρυπτός (kruptos) should ring familiar in the 21st century—it’s the root of “cryptocurrency.” Cryptocurrency’s core concept is being hidden or secret from prying eyes in some manner.

Thus, “kryptos” fundamentally means “secret” or “hidden.” While it encompasses “inward,” that’s not its primary sense. Central to this idea, especially here, is remaining unseen by human eyes. Note how Paul concludes his argument: “His praise is not from men but from God.” (Rom 2:29) This final sentence unequivocally shows his critique mirrors Christ’s teaching in Matthew 6:1-6:

Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your charitable giving will be in secret (ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ); and your Father who sees what is done in secret (ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ) will reward you. And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ‘But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret (ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ); and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Matt 6:1-6)

Like Jesus, Paul, a Jew, sharply critiques not all Jewish practice with its many external rituals, but specific Jews acting hypocritically, defying the Torah’s teachings. They’re not alone—Rabbinic Jewish writings echo this condemnation of visibly religious yet Torah-disobedient Jews. The Talmud denounces hypocrisy in various places. For instance, Pesachim 113b lists three people God hates, starting with one who speaks one thing but thinks another. Likewise, Yoma 72b states a Torah scholar whose inside doesn’t match his outside isn’t a true scholar. Such references permeate Jewish texts.

These examples critique not Judaism or its practitioners broadly, but hypocrisy among certain Jews. To Gentile Christians, Paul’s message is straightforward: while a Jew’s visible markings are beneficial, they’re insufficient. Faith and deeds must align with the Torah beyond mere signs of Jewish identity. Circumcision means little if one leads a hypocritical life disobeying Israel’s God and His Torah. What of heart circumcision? This concept isn’t novel—it stems directly from the Law of Moses in the New Testament:

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul… So circumcise your heart, and do not stiffen your neck any longer. (Deut 10:12-16)

Moreover, the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, so that you may live (Deut 30:6-10)

Prophets like Jeremiah reinforce this idea:

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and remove the foreskins of your hearts, men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or else My wrath will spread like fire and burn with no one to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds. (Jer. 4:4)

Christians who overlook these issues often misinterpret Paul as critiquing Judaism itself as a practice. However, his point diverges sharply. God summons both Jews and nations to live free of hypocrisy, with a clear conscience before Him and others.