Timothy, whose father was Greek, had not been circumcised as Jewish male children were. (Leviticus 12:2, 3) Paul knew that Jews might be stumbled if an uncircumcised young man tried to help them to become reconciled to God. Therefore, so that honesthearted Jews might not be hindered from accepting Jesus, what did Paul do? He “took [Timothy] and circumcised him because of the Jews.” This was done even though circumcision was not a Christian requirement.​—Acts 16:1-3.

4. According to 1 Corinthians 9:20, what was Paul’s objective?

⁴ So it was that Paul was doing things for the sake of the good news when he expressed loving concern for fellow Jews. He wrote: “To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those under law I became as under law, though I myself am not under law, that I might gain those under law.” (1 Corinthians 9:20) Yes, as illustrated in the case of Timothy, Paul did what he could to gain Jews, helping them to become Christians.

Unlike Timothy, Titus performed his ministry primarily among uncircumcised people of the nations. Hence, the issue of circumcision did not arise in his case.​—2 Corinthians 8:6, 16-18, 23; 12:18; Titus 1:4, 5.