«  |  Home  |  Genealogy  |  Recovery  |  Bible Study  |  Will Power  |  Dictionaries  |  Simple Bible  |
Download/Print (PDF) _

Gentile Torah Requirements

Core Teaching

(WMB) Acts 21:7 ¶ When we{likely Luke, Paul, and others} had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers and stayed with them one day. 8 On the next day, we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 10 As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming to us and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘So the Judeans at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

Acts 21:12 ¶ When we heard these things, both we and the people of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Yeshua.”

Acts 21:14 ¶ When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Acts 21:15 ¶ After these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.

Acts 21:17 ¶ When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 The day following, Paul went in with us to Jacob; and all the elders were present. 19 When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Judeans of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Torah. 21 They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children and not to walk after the customs. 22 What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. 24 Take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you{Paul} yourself also walk keeping the Torah. 25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves 1) from food offered to idols, 2) from blood, 3) from strangled things, and 4) from sexual immorality.”(quoted from Acts15:28-29)

According to Acts 15 and 21, there were no other restrictions given to Gentile converts, other than these 4 things and an unwavering trust in Messiah, His merits, and His Father.

Ceremonies

Colossians 2:13-17 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. 17 So don’t let anyone condemn you{Gentile converts} for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or sabbaths.17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come; but the body is Messiah’s.

Hebrews 8:6-12 But now he{God-vs.5} has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which on better promises has been given as Torah. 7 ¶ For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, he said, “Behold, the days are coming”, says the Lord, “that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they didn’t continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them,” says the Lord. 10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” says the Lord: “I will put my laws into their mind; I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 They will not teach every man his fellow citizen and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all will know me, from their least to their greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.( Jeremiah 31:31-34 )”

Hebrews 8:13In that he says, “A new covenant”, he has made the first obsolete. But that which is becoming obsolete and grows aged is near to vanishing away.

Hebrews 10:1-10 For the Torah, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Or else wouldn’t they have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 5 Therefore when he{Yeshua} comes into the world, he says, “You didn’t desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me. 6 You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’ ” 8 ¶ Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the Torah), 9 then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He{Yeshua} takes away the first, that he may establish the second, 10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus the Messiah once for all.

The Torn Veil

Matthew 27:50-51 Yeshua cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. 51 Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.

Mark 15:38 The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.

Luke 23:45 The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

The veil was a physical barrier that symbolized the separation between God and humanity. What is the significance of this veil being torn at Messiah's death, exposing what used to be the Most Holy Place? What made this place so "Holy"? It was Holy because of the presence of God. I say "used to be..." because it was now exposed for all to see. If it was still Holy when the veil was torn, all who looked in to see the Arc of the first Covenant, would have been destroyed immediately. We have no record of that happening. However, we do have instruction as to why this event took place. See below =>

Hebrews 10:8 ¶ Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the Torah), 9 then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He{Yeshua} takes away the first, that he may establish the second, 10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus the Messiah once for all.

Hebrews 10:11 ¶ Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, 12 but he{Yeshua}, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet. 14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,” says the Lord, “I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;( Jeremiah 31:33-34 )” then he says, 17 “I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.( Jeremiah 31:34 )”

Hebrews 10:18 ¶ Now where remission of these is, there is no more {need} offering for sin.

Hebrews 10:19Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the most holy place by the blood of Yeshua, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, 21 and having a great priest over God’s house, 22 let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our body washed with pure water, 23 let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.

John 14:6 ¶ Yeshua said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. {no-longer through an Earthly priest, but through Yeshua, our High Priest}

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Messiah Yeshua, {not an earthly priest, or anyone else}

Circumcision

Acts 15:1-4 ¶ Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.”{an obvious reference to the act of circumcision} 2 Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul, Barnabas, and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem to the emissaries and elders about this question. 3 They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the emissaries and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them.

Acts 15:5 ¶ But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them{obviously physical, especially because this =>}, and to command them to keep the Torah of Moses.” {the demand was not just to "circumcise them", but also to "keep the Torah"!}

Acts 15:6-11 ¶ The emissaries and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. 7 When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them{"the Paarisees"}, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Yeshua, just as they are.”

Acts 15:12-17 ¶ All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them. 13 After they were silent, Jacob answered, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations to take out of them a people for his name. 15 This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, 16 ‘After these things I will return. I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up 17 that the rest of men may seek after the Lord: all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.’

Acts 15:18-21 ¶ “All of God’s works are known to him from eternity. 19 Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who proclaim him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

Acts 15:22-29Then it seemed good to the emissaries and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judah called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers. 23 They wrote these things by their hand: “The emissaries, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings. 24 Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the Torah,’ to whom we gave no commandment;{The leaders of the Christian movement in Jerusalem gave no permission for Gentile converts to be coerced to 1) "be circumcised" or 2) "keep the Torah"} 25 it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 27 We have sent therefore Judah and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from 1) things sacrificed to idols, 2) from blood, 3) from things strangled, and 4) from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.” {there were no other restrictions given to Gentile converts}

Romans 2:25-29 For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision? 27 Won’t those who are physically uncircumcised, but fulfill the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

Chapter 2 continued in chapter 3 => Romans 3:1-4 ¶ Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the revelations of God. 3 For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “that you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”

Romans 4:7-12 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.” 9 ¶ Is this blessing then pronounced only on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them. 12 He is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.

Romans 15:79 ¶ Therefore accept one another, even as Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God. 8 Now I say that Messiah has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles and sing to your name.”

Romans 15:10-13 ¶ Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” 11 ¶ Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.” 12 ¶ Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.” 13 ¶ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 7:18-19 ¶ Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping God’s commandments.

Galatians 2:1-5 Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. 3 And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile. 4 Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really —who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5 But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.

Galatians 5:1-6 ¶ Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Messiah has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 ¶ Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Messiah will profit you nothing. 3 Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 You are alienated from Messiah, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Messiah Yeshua neither circumcision nor uncircumcision amounts to anything, but faith working through love.

Galatians 6:12-16 As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised, just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Messiah. 13 For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, so that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Messiah Yeshua neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel.

Philippians 3:2 ¶ Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Messiah Yeshua, and have no confidence in the flesh;

Colossians 2:11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Messiah,

See also "Circumcision of the Heart", a related study => https://sidnash.org/docs/HeartCircumcision.html

Titus 1:10 ¶ For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah ( Deut8:3; Matt4:4 )

-Sid Nash: 11/03/2025. Latest version: https://sidnash.org/docs/GentileTorah.html