Paul’s radical conversion can be measured by his changed attitude to circumcision. Saul the pre-Christian zealot appears to have ‘preached circumcision’ to bar a too easy access of Gentiles to God’s covenant people (Gal. 5:11). By contrast, Paul the Christian preaches a circumcision-free gospel to the Gentiles (Gal. 5:2—‘If you receive circumcision Christ will be of no value to you’). Equally radical are his words in this passage about circumcision, addressed to Jews. ‘Circumcision is profitable,’